LATROBE, Pa. -- Steven Nelson already gets it.
Signed as a free agent in March, Nelson was brought to the Steelers to lock down the starting cornerback spot opposite Joe Haden, and he's acclimating to his surroundings just fine. I caught Nelson on this sunny, 82-degree day at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., and broke the ice with a classic comment about the sunshine and the cool breeze.
Nelson's response provided a melody almost as sweet as "Renegade" for Steelers fans.
"It's a beautiful day, man," Nelson said. "A great day for Steelers football."
The new guy already embracing 'Steelers football'? Yeah, that'll work. Nelson brought up the topic unprovoked, so I rolled with it, asking him exactly what he's feeling as a Steeler thus far. After all, he's had only OTAs, minicamp and a short stint here at training camp to adjust.
But he's feeling the love and the chemistry.
"Man, it's taking its course," Nelson said. "It's been fun, man, just being around the guys, being around the atmosphere. It's a good thing, to have on this black and gold."
Nelson was telling me about that chemistry with the team back in May at the Rooney Complex, too, so that came as no surprise. But it's not just about "fitting in" for a new player. It's about evolving and growing and learning every day. To that end, Nelson feels comfortable with his current position.
"It's grown, man," Nelson said. "It's like a brotherhood here. Everybody, we spend time on and off the field, and that just kind of builds that camaraderie amongst each other and it makes it fun on the field."
Besides the Steelers looking to upgrade at cornerback, Nelson specifically brought a coveted skill set to the table. He has a nose for the football, snagging four interceptions with the Chiefs last season, twice as many as Haden's team-leading total a year ago.
Collecting just eight interceptions as a team in 2018 — 28th in the league — the Steelers need to generate more turnovers, and that's where Nelson feels he can make an impact. Now, though, it's about learning the defense and minimizing mistakes. The turnovers will follow.
"It's just all about being disciplined, man," Nelson said. "Coach Tomlin and the offense, they've been doing a good job keeping us honest. They've been putting a lot of double moves in there, just making sure our eyes are right. So right now, it's just all about having the proper technique and just carrying that over to the season."
Helping Nelson adjust are two veteran leaders in Haden and Cam Heyward. With experience, elite skills and leadership qualities aplenty, Nelson doesn't take for granted the impact those two have had on his early adjustments to the Steelers' system.
"They've been great," he said. "Both of those guys brought me in with open arms. They're great leaders. To have those type of guys on your team, it's contagious."
While Haden and Heyward have provided some mentorship for Nelson early on, there's another factor at play: the Steelers offense. Nelson might not be learning schemes and assignments from the other side of the ball, but facing Ben Roethlisberger, JuJu Smith-Schuster and crew on a daily basis pays dividends.
"It's been fun. It's been good, good work," Nelson said. "We compete at a high level. Big Ben, obviously he's a top-tier guy. Just going against a guy like that, it's going to make my job a whole lot easier."
Of course, I couldn't let Nelson go without following up on a pressing issue from OTAs:
Any places to fish in Pittsburgh? Not the river
— Steve Nelson (@Nelson_Island) June 1, 2019
A man's gotta fish, and Nelson's made some plans on that front:
