There has been a lot of talk about the Steelers first two draft picks of the 2013 NFL Draft. Both players are having good training camps and are still in the race to win their starting jobs; and both of them will.
At some point, that is.
Outside linebacker Jarvis Jones and running back Le’Veon Bell are both future NFL starters, but that future isn’t too far away.
Today, Jones was playing with the first team defense to start practice. He is still listed as the number 2 right outside linebacker, but he is impressing his coaches and he is expected to see playing time; even if he isn’t the starter.
Jones is known for his pass rushing skills and the Steelers will use him as a situational pass rusher. As he continues to improve during his rookie season I believe that he will take over the starting job.
The thing with Jones is that he is too skilled not to be on the field. He still has plenty to learn about playing in the NFL, but some of those things are best learned with experience.
Also, if Jason Worilds continues to play as he did in the pre-season opener Jones may move into a starting role. Back-to-back personal foul penalties on Worilds put the Giants in scoring position before halftime on Saturday night.
(On the roughing the quarterback penalty) “It’s something we can’t do,” said linebacker coach Keith Butler via Ed Bouchette. “We can’t hit the quarterback in the head, we can’t hit him with the head and that’s what Jason did. He was a little bit late, it could have gone either way with the call but I’m glad they did call it, it was a teaching moment for everybody on defense, especially our linebackers.”
(On the late hit penalty) “They tell us the referee is supposed to see the whole action and if you see the action the guy took a cheap shot on Jason and he retaliated and it’s always the guy who retaliated,” Butler continued.
“To me, it’s a selfish act to ‘get mine back.’ Selfish acts in football, there is no room for.”
Worilds and Jones need to improve on their performances from the first pre-season game, but Jones is a rookie and early struggles are expected. Worilds, on the other hand, should have more of an impact; especially in the second quarter against second-team players.
One thing that will likely keep Jones out of the starting line-up early on is his defense in the running game. He, as Worilds has when playing on the left side of the defense, was struggling to seal the edge against the run.
That run defense may be a bigger loss than quarterback pressures and sacks when talking about the loss of James Harrison.
When it comes to the running backs, even though Bell is only a rookie, it looks like this is his job to lose. Isaac Redman and Bell were listed as co-starters on the Steelers newest depth chart and Bell didn’t even play in Saturday’s pre-season opener.
As long as he continues to play well once he is on the field he should be the starting running back in week 1. There is a chance, however, the Steelers could choose to use Redman as the starter in week 1.
Even so, Bell is sure to see plenty of carries and should be the starter later in the season unless he has unforeseen struggles.
Jones, like Bell, may not be the starter when the Steelers take the field in week 1, but, like Bell, he should still get opportunities to make plays as a reserve.
Both players could be back-ups in week 1, but, even so, I truly believe that at some point during the 2013 season both players will be starters and hopefully, will remain so for many years to come.
