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5 big Steelers storylines during OTAs

5 big Steelers storylines during OTAs

Yahoo26-05-2025

On Tuesday of this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers will kick off their organized team activities (OTAs), which lead into the team's first mandatory minicamp of the offseason on June 10. Even though OTAs are optional, the expectation with the Steelers has always been that if you are on the team, you show up. The Steelers roster is in such a state of flux right now that we will be keeping a close eye on every move.
Here are the five big storylines to watch over the course of OTAs.
T.J. Watt's contract
Will T.J. Watt show up for optional activities while he waits on a massive contract extension? We expect to see Watt and see him do a "hold-in" similar to what happened during his last contract negotiation.
Will Aaron Rodgers make an appearance?
No, we don't expect Rodgers to show up before June 10 if at all. But we do want to see how the team's other three quarterbacks respond, knowing the arrival of Rodgers could happen at any time and it's three quarterbacks fighting for two spots on the final 53-man roster.
The wide receiver rotation
DK Metcalf in the starting lineup is a given. But between the rest of the guys on the roster, namely Robert Woods, Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson, who impresses the most and takes control of the No. 2 spot.
New offensive tackles in new spots
This will be the first look at Broderick Jones at left tackle and Troy Fautanu at right tackle. Fautanu was supposed to come in last year and help re-energize the offensive line, but a knee injury cost him his entire rookie season.
Arthur Smith 2.0
We will continue to hold onto hope that this year's version of the Arthur Smith offense will be less methodical, less predictable and more explosive than last year's version, even if the quarterback position isn't settled.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers OTAs: 5 big Pittsburgh storylines

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After hitting ‘rock bottom,' Braves can still salvage their season – if they snap out of it
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After hitting ‘rock bottom,' Braves can still salvage their season – if they snap out of it

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How the Thunder lost their way defensively late in Game 1 loss to Pacers
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New York Times

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Ideally, Dort would be matched up with Andrew Nembhard, not stationed with Toppin in the corner. In critical moments, the Pacers got favorable matchups on switches, keeping players like Caruso and Dort away. SGA is far from a defensive liability and had several solid possessions in Game 1, but he's the weakest link in their small-ball group and thus the target of any isolation play. This is a tough shot with a high degree of difficulty (multiple crossovers plus a stepback), but Gilgeous-Alexander shouldn't be in that position in the first place. Indiana's penultimate possession — a Pascal Siakam putback which set up Haliburton's eventual winner — was indicative of a Daigneault gamble gone awry and another momentary lapse by Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder's bold lineup change ahead of Game 1 — moving Isaiah Hartenstein to the bench in favor of Wallace— certainly had its benefits. 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