A couple of the biggest questions for the Steelers this offseason has surrounded the timetable on the returns of inside linebacker Devin Bush and right tackle Zach Banner.
Both suffered torn ACLs in 2020 -- Banner in a Week 1 win over the Giants, Bush in a Week 5 victory over the Browns -- that ended their seasons prematurely. But both seem to be on track to be full participants when training camp kicks off in late July at Saint Vincent College.
In fact, both Banner and Bush took some snaps Thursday with their teammates on the field as the Steelers completed their third of 10 OTA sessions at the UPMC-Rooney Sports Complex.
"The hardest part about this injury process is getting back to being comfortable after you heal," Banner said. "I’m really happy to say we are both in that process. How long it takes to get comfortable? We might pull (out of) a practice. That’s all up to the coaches. They know what they’re doing. My guy has been working, day-in and day-out, right next to me. I can’t say anything bad about him. He hasn’t missed a day. He’s been out here all offseason, just like me."
That's great news for the Steelers, who are counting on a healthy return from both.
Banner was re-signed in the offseason to a two-year $9.5-million deal to be the team's starting right tackle, a job he won in a training camp battle with Chuks Okorafor a year ago, only to go down in the second half of that season-opening win against the Giants.
Bush, meanwhile, would help bolster a defense that lost outside linebacker Bud Dupree and corners Steven Nelson and Mike Hilton from a year ago. He was off to a strong start at his inside linebacker position in his second season after the Steelers traded up to the 10th pick in the draft in 2019 to select him. But he tore his ACL right before halftime of a 38-7 win over the Browns last Oct. 18.
The Steelers missed his speed in the middle of the defense last season and will be glad to get him back.
"He works really hard," Banner said. "We’ve been talking about pressure. He was obviously a top-10 pick a few years ago and unfortunately, it was a non-contact injury."
Pressure. For the Steelers to defend their AFC North championship and advance farther into the playoffs than they did a year ago, young starters such as Bush and Banner are not only going to have to return, they're going to have to play well and step into larger leadership roles.
"Coach (Mike Tomlin) has asked me to step up my game in all facets of my career on and off the field," Banner said. "I’m like a dog on a leash right now. They keep pulling back and pulling back. One thing you’re not going to have to tell me is to give effort and be there to be around the team and get the mental reps for myself, because I’m not perfect and we can get better every day. It’s also a good thing for me just getting through this mentally."
Both Bush and Banner can now mark that important step off their personal checklists they go over on a regular basis with strength and conditioning coach Garrett Giemont. They'll continue to keep checking off boxes as the Steelers get closer to the start of the season in September.
"That checklist, we’ve just been knocking them off. I’m not going out there and doing 50 reps right now. Today, I only got one or two. But I’m off working on the side," Banner said. "The first time we got into this a couple of weeks ago, into actual football stuff, cutting and lateral change of direction, I did like 35 pass sets. I’ve done way more in a day since then. But Coach Gie pulls me aside and says, ‘That’s hopefully a game. That’s a game of pass sets. That’s a realistic look.' "
"They’ve done this with players in the past. Heath Miller, a lot of his notes are into my rehab. You guys saw how tremendous he was when he got back. The future looks bright."