Orndoff prepared to be a hit with Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Scott Orndoff (80) during practice at NFL football training camp in Latrobe, Pa., Friday, July 28, 2017 . (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Farrington Huguenin, left, works with tight end Scott Orndoff during practice at NFL football training camp in Latrobe, Pa., Friday, July 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
LATROBE – For many of the veterans at Steelers training camp, the third day of practice is one they dread.
That’s the day, per the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, that teams are permitted to put on full pads for the first time.
For Waynesburg’s Scott Orndoff, however, this is what he’s been looking forward to since signing with the Steelers as a rookie free agent after the draft.
“Yeah, I am,” Orndoff said Saturday at Saint Vincent College. “I think for my role on this team, the way I picture it, I need to show I have worth and I can be used in that aspect of the game. When we put the pads on, I can show that I can make an impact on the team in some way.”
That aspect of the game is the physical part.
A 6-4, 253-pound tight end, Orndoff wants to show the coaching staff that he not only knows the playbook but also can handle the blocking duties that go along with his position in the NFL.
“(Sunday) will be a big day in terms of evaluating people,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “We start playing football.”
Unlike most NFL teams, the Steelers use live tackling in certain portions of their practices. They also have some specific drills, such as running backs against linebackers and one-on-one blocking.
It’s far different from what happens during the offseason program and the first two days of training camp, when no hitting is permitted.
To get to this point, Orndoff, who played his high school football at Seton-La Salle before heading to Pitt for a distinguished career, buried himself in the playbook.
“When you’re learning it, you think about it too much and you can’t get a picture of some things, so you get confused,” Orndoff said. “Coming back now, I have a better understanding of what the concept of the plays are.
“I feel more comfortable in that regard, which is huge. At this point, if you don’t know the plays and don’t understand what you’re doing, then they’re not going to trust to put you out on the field. Our coach (James Daniels), if we don’t understand it, he won’t even put us into practice.”
But there are still learning moments. Saturday, for example, Orndoff flinched on a hard-count for a false start, earning the ire of offensive coordinator Todd Haley early in the practice session.
But Orndoff rebounded to have a solid practice and has been utilized in a lot of different ways as he tries to earn a roster spot.
At tight end, the Steelers have returning starter Jesse James backed up by promising younger Xavier Grimble and veteran David Johnson. Grimble is more of a receiving tight end while Johnson is known for his blocking.
But the Steelers carried four tight ends on the roster for large chunks of last season with Ladarius Green being the fourth. Green was released in the offseason.
Orndoff and undrafted rookie Phazahn Odom are the only new tight ends taken to training camp.
The padded practices are what Orndoff hopes will help show the coaching staff he deserves a spot on the 53-man roster. After that will be four preseason games, starting Aug. 9 at New York against the Giants.
“It will be different, even as a preseason game,” Orndoff said. “It will be a whole new experience. I kind of know what to expect, but at same time, it’s all new to me. I’ll try to enjoy it. But I also know that it’s my time to try to prove myself and really put something on tape. It’s exciting. I’m looking forward to it.”
Practice Saturday was moved to Latrobe High School’s turf field because of the heavy rains that came through the area in the past two days. The Steelers are expected to practice Sunday at Saint Vincent College. It begins at 3 p.m. and is open to the public. … Rookie receiver JuJu Smith-Shuster was given the day off to rest an ankle he sprained Friday. … Rookie cornerback Cam Sutton left practice early with what Tomlin said was a “lower body injury.” It did not appear serious. … Wide receiver Canaan Severin practiced Saturday after opening camp on the Physically Unable to Perform List.