LATROBE, Pa. -- Diontae Johnson didn't hesitate, didn't mince words.
"The biggest difference," he was telling me the other day, "is that we're sticking by what we believe is the best play. The first read can be the best read."
This was part of a long talk he and I had. Our best in a good while. And not surprisingly, given his rather direct personality, it led to what might've been my most eye-opening information of the Steelers' training camp that concluded yesterday at Saint Vincent College: Kenny Pickett's sticking by his primary reads with precisely the confidence one would expect of an NFL starting quarterback.
He isn't panicking. He isn't abandoning the pocket at the first sign of pressure. He isn't putting the ball into the figurative 50th row of seats. And maybe more to the point, he isn't checking down to the plainest possible option.
This was the play that came up between us:
— DK Pittsburgh Sports (@DKPSvideos) August 12, 2023
Everything about that third-and-10 call is aimed at getting the ball to Johnson beyond the sticks. As it should be. And even though there are two Tampa Bay defenders in Johnson's vicinity, even though Pickett's got a glaringly open Jaylen Warren underneath, even though probably no one speaks an ill syllable of Pickett -- but, instead, of Matt Canada -- if Pickett dumps off to Warren ... all concerned stuck with a route they'd been working all summer, and it paid off. That continued the 83-yard drive that'd culminate in George Pickens' 33-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
"That's what I'm talking about," Johnson would proceed. "To become the offense we believe we can be, we've gotta think big. We've gotta go for the plays that can make us successful. As a group."
That's not some happy accident, either. It's about approach, application and, apparently, a healthy dose of attitude.
MORE STEELERS
• For a guy who might've been buried upon seeing a first-rounder drafted at his position, Dan Moore's having a fine camp and, as this is being typed, remains the starting left tackle. Beyond that, he's been the consummate teammate in investing extra time after practices helping Broderick Jones, the player expected to supplant him. Praiseworthy stuff on both fronts, for sure. But I'll also be the realist and remind that Moore's still seeing snaps at right tackle and that he'd be a far cheaper option at that position headed into the future than Chuks Okorafor, and there's no way Moore isn't aware of that scenario.
• Bursting the bubble a bit, but the Kendrick-Green-as-fullback thing's been a gimmick and nothing more. If he can't be counted upon as the backup center -- and the film from Tampa wasn't kind in that regard -- then he can't hold a spot on the 53. And if Mason Cole were to become unavailable for whatever reason, James Daniels has extensive experience, including in the NFL, at center. Or the super-utility seventh-rounder Spencer Anderson. Or someone signed from somewhere else.
• What won't be a gimmick is the three-safety set. Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin can't state as much, for obvious reasons, but two of the three safeties have told me in no uncertain terms they expect to use it a ton, depending on the opponent and specific game situations.
• The plan is very much for Joey Porter Jr. to start. But he's got to participate for the plan to work. That's really all that's there. If Tomlin and Austin have their way, Patrick Peterson will spend more time inside than outside. As a result, the preseason game against the Bills tomorrow might be as important to Porter as anyone on the Pittsburgh side.
• Najee Harris' starting job isn't being threatened in any capacity, so don't misinterpret this, but there'll be a much more level division of workload at running back. Clip and save.
• Keeanu Benton told me he sees some Javon Hargrave in his style -- interior defensive lineman who can pursue the quarterback -- but he also acknowledged that he goes looking, as well: "Yeah, I've watched him. And I hear how people talk about him here, so I'm sure I'll watch even more. He's definitely become that player."
PIRATES
• The outlook for uber-prospect Paul Skenes for the remainder of this summer is to total about 20 innings and to scatter those over different levels of the system. He's made two one-inning starts to date, the last one two nights ago for the low Class A Bradenton Marauders, and it was announced yesterday he'll make another for the same team Sunday. High Class A Greensboro's on the road five days after that, but Class AA Altoona's at home. And close to Pittsburgh. And he'll mow down the batters there the same way he does everywhere. And the affiliate surely would welcome having a big crowd. Just saying.
• Could the climb include PNC Park? Yeah, sure. Ben Cherington set precedents with late-season cameo debuts for Oneil Cruz and Roansy Contreras, and Skenes' gradual pace would line up with something similar. Also, remember, though his major-league service clock would start for however many days he's here, it stops as soon as he's back in the minors. So if they're going to Super-2 him -- as they do with everyone, out of abject cheapness -- they can still have him start 2024 in the minors and delay his real arrival until June.
• All that said, this isn't a normal prospect. They know that, and they're openly treating him that way in internal talks.
• If anyone was wondering how Contreras went from sitting at 98-99 mph all the way down to 92 mph this season, maybe it's no coincidence that Quinn Priester was also just sent back to the minors after his own drop from 97 to 92. And yeah, that's where Priester's fastball was, as recently as a year ago, I'm told by one scout who's seen him plenty. And neither of these is a health issue. Same as Luis Ortiz and now Johan Oviedo. And don't get me started on Mitch Keller needing to visit an outside pitching factory to find his own heat. Bear in mind: These are the same people who'll be handling Skenes.
• Bob Nutting told me in late 2019, at a table seated across from me inside PNC Park, that the main reason he cleaned out the previous front office was that he got tired of seeing players, particularly pitchers, improve dramatically upon leaving the Pirates. Well, is it really any different if they get better elsewhere or if they just keep hidden back in the minors?
• No amount of talent can overcome, in general, a lack of development/instruction. Not here. Not anywhere.
PENGUINS
• I know nothing more about this than what follows, but management expectations -- and I'm applying that word in its most literal sense -- for the 2023-24 NHL season include having Jeff Carter be a lot better than he's been. And because I don't know any more about what that means while I do know Carter's got a no-movement, I'd have to think that the only recourse if those expectations aren't met is to make him a healthy scratch. But that's just me.
• By the way, the above micro-slice of information came from the same source that let me know there wasn't any way Mikael Granlund would be retained. That matters.
• Tomas Tatar, still a free agent despite having logged 20 goals, a team-high plus-41 rating and a full slate of 82 games last season in Newark, acknowledged to a Slovak outlet that he's been in contact with the Penguins. That's known. All I've heard on top of that -- and it might not even be related -- is that management still wouldn't mind squeezing a few extra goals out of the bottom six, maybe Danton Heinen-style. Tatar sure would fit. He can slide up and down any line chart, including, theoretically, taking Jake Guentzel's place in the early going.
• The backup goaltending job, I've heard, won't be handed to Alex Nedeljkovic. He and Magnus Hellberg will both be in that scenario. Which, of course, will be a familiar one for them since they shared duties in Detroit last season.
• All I've got. Hockey's awful for info this time of year.
• Thanks for reading Insider!
