Keanu Benton Dominates, DK Metcalf-Aaron Rodgers Connection Shines at Steelers Night Practice

Brandon Howe and Zachary Smith break down the Steelers' annual night practice at Latrobe Memorial Stadium, which drew 8,300 fans. Keanu Benton dominated in one-on-one pass rush drills, while DK Metcalf beat Asante Samuel Jr. repeatedly on slant routes connecting with Aaron Rodgers. The offense showed life running to the left side during team periods, though the defense still holds an edge overall, highlighted by a Jamal Dean pick-six off Rodgers early in practice. Brandon Smith continued to impress across all groups, and Drew Allar flashed with deep balls to Pat Freiermuth and Smith.

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Video Transcript

Hey everybody.

I am Brandon Howell of Steelers now and behind us is not Latrobe Memorial Stadium.

I don't even think that's the real Mr. Rogers.

Anyways, we were there at the night practice night.

Me and Zachary Smith here got to check out my first night practice I thought was really cool.

I covered a lot of high school football for my day job and it seemed like that same sort of vibe which was to be expected from being in a high school stadium in a smaller community.

So to kind of start out here, I'll toss to you maybe we'll sit out.

Uh well, I will say say we did they put out the attendance afterwards, 8300 people.

That's a significant decrease from what it has been in the past.

In other words, talk about what's it going to be like from a Friday night to a Saturday night.

I actually thought it could be the same if not better just because people don't have to take off early for work.

It's the weekend, like you got no other plans or other to clear out the calendar for so I thought we'd see uh better not to say it wasn't a great turnout.

And it is so cool to me you mentioned like the small community aspect of it.

People are just like sitting out in chairs in their yard cards, having a cook out, swimming, doing all this stuff.

Uh, during it we come through in the bus is just like the team does and it's just like it's just a celebration around here and it's awesome to see.

So, my first takeaway is shout out to Latrobe as always for putting on a great event.

Uh, the night lights practice is always awesome.

Uh, in stadium, it still wasn't as physical uh as I would have liked to see like the back on backers has not returned even though McCarthy said he was a massive fan of the drill.

We do get one on one offensive line, defensive line was what I had my eye on.

I told Allen that's what I want to focus on today cuz we were watching the wide receiver DVs yesterday and man was Keanu betting good.

First and foremost, him even being out there I think was a welcome sight.

He had had like this massive rap on his hand yesterday and he was just doing wind sprints.

So I was curious if he'd have a few down days, he hits back out on the field today and was just dominating every single rap it didn't matter who he was going against.

So really good day for 95 and a pretty tough day and I know that we continue to say this.

I don't want to single him out but he's In the past pro stuff man, he's a work in progress.

That's Jennings Ducker who just has not really had uh moments of positivity to be honest with you in these one-on-ones.

And then they start doing some combo stuff, you know, two-on-two, three-on-three stuff.

And I I would say it was a lot of back and forth.

Like I don't know whose side I would give it to overall between the offensive line and defensive line.

I will say I didn't think Rodgers Jones had a very good day even when he was going against some of the lesser competition.

Yeah, you on that side and Allen actually asked me he goes, "Where do you want to go?

Receivers and DBs or the offensive line?"

I told him to guess.

I guess I don't know who knows me well enough yet still Yeah because I said I'm sticking over here with receivers like we did yesterday.

Uh we didn't really get to tell the full scope of things yesterday because of it being a close Right practice and having to confirm things.

Tonight we got to see everything or I get to talk about everything.

The thing that stood out the most to me and it was kind kind of like a goal line one on one.

Um we talked yesterday about uh Sante Samuel and Aaron Rodgers Yeah.

kind of talking Aaron coaching him up a little bit.

Then the communication aspect between DK and Aaron.

So DK and Aaron talk it's kind of like that typical like you're out with your friends in the backyard and like you're up to quarterback and say like this is the route I want and you can tell them talk about that.

DK runs out, he runs a slant and beats Sante Samuel.

So Aaron talks to Sante for about 30 seconds before the next rep starts and a few minutes later DK runs back out there.

Same play, same results.

A little bit more physical they both hit the ground Sante tried his hardest to get that ball out, but just couldn't.

Um so yeah, Asante Samuel who's been really really good this entire camp, maybe does have some sort of Kryptonite and DK Matt Kaf which At least in those slates.

I mean that's how you get DK to win.

Like we talked about this quite a bit out and I like where do you find the explosives for the Steelers offense and I really think it's getting DK on in breaking stuff as opposed to just run and goes and nine routes and stuff and getting him on the in breaking stuff and letting him turn into to a running back cuz he's so good once he gets the ball in his hands and no one really wants to tackle one on one.

So, um yeah, that's definitely interesting.

I think that'll be a fun battle to continue a lot.

He had a spectacular catch too down the right sideline during seven on sevens where he reached around a Sante and caught it one-handed like underhanded and pulled it in they both hit the ground again and I was I was watching for a celebration DK kind of just gets up, looks at the ball and walks away.

He like does a handshake with Jaylen Warren and that was that was about all that happened.

Have you noticed the receivers uh maybe even the these too like, when they're they're they're I don't know if it's their specific hand.

For some reason they're like doing this enclosed hand thing and like gripping it like this is a celebration.

Really?

I'd noticed it yesterday and I was like what's that?

And then I was seeing it today too with water receivers celebrating with each other.

I don't know.

I saw Brian I Knuckles know the other day.

He was He like stomped like he's putting out a cigarette and like like moved his foot.

So Robert Spears Jennings who actually spoke today after practice for the first time.

Uh does the little box.

box and thumbs down.

Yeah.

I don't know where that came from.

That's an interesting one.

He He also has his nickname on Instagram as the landlord, which I want to ask him about where did that nickname come from?

Uh, do you own properties or are you saying you own parts of the field?

That remains to be seen.

Um, Drew Raler also, it was about what you'd expect from Drew Raler where you see these flashes and then also you see moments of like, okay, I see why he wasn't a top 10 quarterback and he failed the third round.

Yeah.

Um, he had a few actually back to back balls or Heaths Robert Tuniyan down left sideline kind of loops in really pretty pass.

Next play does the same bombs it to Brandon Smith who dives catches it gets a pop from the crowd.

I talked to Aller afterwards actually and asked him how it feels let loose in those passes because if obviously Aaron Rodgers deep ball stands out above all else in NFL history really and Drew Aller I would argue has maybe the second pretty deep ball on this team from what I've been able to to see.

And he said that he's trying to learn a bit more from Rogers in terms of the placement, how to throw better deep balls, which is something that you love deep ball.

I love deep ball.

Like I think that'd be real exciting.

There's so that's what like what defenses have taken away though.

Like I think that that's why again going back to where this team's at right now is explosives.

To me the three guys that I single out first and foremost are DT Metcalf, Jaylen Waddle, and Darnell Washington because of what they can do after the catch, their break tackle ability.

To To me I I'm just I mean, I'm not saying you're not going to see it, but it's just so hard to create explosives in terms of taking the top off of defense with the way defense is playing.

Our photographer Ed Thompson almost saw his life end at the hands of Darnell Washington tonight.

Oh, he closest to that.

He was closest and I guess like the split second right before Washington caught the ball, someone asked him a question, he turned around, he answered the question.

And as he turned, he moved out of the way, but you see Darnell Washington catch the ball.

I think two guys guys were on him at once.

He pulls that down full speed, runs into the sideline, and it was like the red sea.

Every media member slash whoever was on that sideline got right out of the way like, go on big man.

Um, I have a few more things that you you popped in my mind as you were talking there.

Brandon Smith has been so good.

Like Yeah no matter what group that he's been running with, he's been super good.

I'm excited to watch him in the preseason.

He might be my new pick to lead this team in receiving yards in the preseason.

Uh, my AT Perry selection kind of dead on arrival Yeah.

because he didn't make it the first preseason game Um and then The other thing was, something else I noticed in team period.

This team was getting a lot of run plays that were going for what you would consider I get again you're not live tackling but before even first contact was being made, it would have been explosive runs coming off to the left side.

You know Darnell Washington is obviously a force multiplier in the run game but Troy Fouts had to know I thought had a really good day in Mason Cormack had a really good day in the team period.

It's again little bit unbalanced.

I think the one on one's like it's really hard to differentiate for me which which group which unit it got the better of that, but in team period, especially when they were running to the left side, I thought the offense was showing signs of life, which is really good to see because every single day that we've been doing one of these, we've been saying defense is still pretty far ahead of the offense.

Yeah, and we saw that even at the start of practice where Aaron Rogers throws an out route.

I think he was trying to hit Roman Wilson, maybe a little bit of not where we want to put that pass.

Jamal Dean like hops in front, picks it, pick six, crowd goes crazy.

Uh, defense is really had the offense's number over at least the past few days from what we've seen.

Um, it was cool for fans to see Jamal Dean make a play because Yeah like he was the and I wrote about this today with Assante Samuel and uh Patrick Graham talking about Assante Samuel.

Like Jamal Dean seemed to be the signing that everyone was like super excited about and Assante kind of flew into the radar.

And it seems that they've kind of been going back and forth in terms of like success in this training camp or maybe Assante has had some better days than Jamal has and I'm sure Jameel was pretty happy with that result there.

First time in the Trob, first time the first time at that stadium in the Trob making the fans happy in that way.

So again deep secondary as as Jaylen Ramsey and Joey Porter Jr. hopefully probably get back on the field.

That's going to be an interesting unit to watch.

This could be a longer one for you guys.

I can already talk to you right in a half minute.

But I do have to ask if there was anything immediately that jumped out to you not on the practice field but talking to the guys afterwards.

Cam Hayward.

So Cam Hayward comes up and he's this team spokesperson.

You mentioned yesterday someone asked if he's going to coach after like his career's done.

Uh last year I think it was every Thursday he would come in and would talk to him and he he basically speaks for the entire team.

But today uh he comes off and talks about this he's obviously done this practice a ton.

He's very familiar with it.

I asked what's it like having another training camp here with Aaron Rodgers?

Uh obviously that wasn't a sure thing after last season ended.

And it turns out Aaron Rodgers is a prankster which Mike McCarthy did tell us when who was hired.

Uh, he kind of learned that from Brett Farve in Green Bay where Brett like to pull pull pranks too.

I tried to get some specifics on those pranks.

Uh, Cam said, "I can't really tell you right now."

Brooke Pryor from ESPN asks, "Are you going to get him back?"

He said, "TBD."

So, I'll try to kind of pry those pranks out from some other players as this rest of camp goes on.

I think it'd be interesting to find out.

You got to have a prankster, right?

I would have paid uh Ben Gronkowski being that guy, but I guess Aaron Rodgers kind of hand in hand the celebration they've do it.

Uh, go hand in hand with Aaron Rodgers.

So, that's really good stuff.

Jennings Dunker man, like I didn't think he had a great day of practice.

I don't think he's been caught at the speed yet.

I think the pass pro still has quite a ways to go.

But we already knew he was a call hero.

Man, him coming into this stadium for the first time, he couldn't stop gushing about it.

There were signs that said Jennings Dunker for president.

He was one of like the first guys sign art graphs.

It was like, you see Aaron Rodgers, Michael Pittman Jr. Jennings Dunker.

Like, what a three to have those things.

I I didn't realize how much people love Aaron Rodgers either.

Like, yes, it's cool to cover him.

Like, I grew up watching him.

I I think I told you like I had this rookie card that was 8 years old, which probably dates like some of the people that are listening like makes me feel like a little younger, but uh there were like grown men swooning over him Yeah signing their stuff.

Like, I heard at one point, "Oh my god, Aaron."

I was like Pretty funny.

I got some close-up videos of that.

So, maybe if you guys listen back when Sides and Sound goes up or on my Twitter, maybe you'll kind kind of hear those those grown men kind of fawning over Ryan Rogers in that way.

That was a lot of fun.

You know like you said this was your first night one so hopefully you enjoyed it.

I think it's just it's a blast of cover.

If you can only be at one training camp practice, I would say this is the one to make it every single year.

So any closing thoughts?

I don't remember the last time I rode in a bus.

I think it might have been high school.

So That part's you know Well no there's some nostalgia there.

So like there is a part of it that's cool.

I I made the mistake of sitting on People are gonna love that cuz they loved when we were just complaining about how strong Yeah, I hey I'm soft.

So I made the mistake of sitting on the tire seat too so my legs are up and I'm like cramped.

And then one of our other writers or one of the other reporters Matt Prush from Pittsburgh Post just yet.

He sits by me and I'm like we got to sit like this for 10 minutes it's hot I'm sweating.

But yeah maybe comment down below last time you rode on a school bus it'd be interesting to hear there so players and dorms you got the players and media riding riding on school buses to prep This is very much like a nostalgia throwback.

Like this is when you talk about the traditions that the Steelers continue to instill and want to carry over, man, nothing nothing says it like what this day is for the true.

Just don't ask Mike Tomlin about the dorms.

When I Well, all I'm not not not that I'm surprised by it, but he never had a thing to say about him when he was the head coach immediately first uh real time that we see him in that light afterwards and yeah, couldn't uh speak negatively about the storm fast enough.

When he said there that he's spent a calendar year of his life here, I had to do the mental math.

I was like, "Wow."

Yeah.

He really did so he Yeah, that's that's a little bit of a life kind of shifted away out there.

But yeah, four Steelers now.

I don't think Speedy has anything left here.

I'm good.

Uh, I am Brandon Howe.

This is Zach Smith and we will talk to you here I think in a few days on Monday.

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