May 23, 2016 5 min read

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The Steelers will opening their 2016 OTAs on Tuesday, which are typically about as exciting as eating a bowl of grits.

It is, after all, football in shorts.

Anybody expecting earth-shattering news to come out of this hasn’t been paying attention much.

But it will offer the first opportunity for the rookie class to mix with the veterans as the Steelers begin preparations for the upcoming season.

And with some fresh faces on that defense, it will bear watching to see how that works out. But we really won’t know much about pecking order, etc,, until mini-camp June 14 to 16.

That is a mandatory session that will tip the hand on the coaching staff when it comes to where everything will fit together when training camp opens July 28.

The next three weeks will, however, offer an opportunity to see which young players have stepped up their offseason training,

The biggest jump for a young player typically comes between his first and second season in the league.

As rookies, they’re just battling to keep their head above water when it comes to knowing what it takes to be a pro, learning the playbook and everything else that’s involved.

That second year, they’ve already been through all of this stuff. They should – should – know the playbook and have a year’s experience under their belt when it comes to practice.

More importantly, they’ve had nearly six months since the last game to work in the weight room on their strength or speed. And that’s perhaps the biggest jump.

Plenty of guys come into the league thinking they’re ready for the pounding a 16-game NFL schedule presents. But most rookies hit a wall of some type as they find out they weren’t as prepared as they thought.

Here’s who I’ll be keeping an eye on in the coming weeks outside of the rookie class:

• Senquez Golson – The second-year cornerback didn’t make it out of mini-camp last year without suffering a shoulder injury that ended his season. He then wasn’t permitted to take part in the rookie mini-camp that took place a few weeks ago because of a silly CBA rule.

Golson needs as much work as possible in this offseason because the Steelers are counting on the 2015 second-round draft pick to be a big part of their defense this year. Is he up to the challenge?

• Daniel McCullers – McCullers can be an immovable object in the middle when he wants to be. Trouble is, he doesn’t always seem to play with that fire. With Steve McLendon now with the Jets, there’s an opening at nose tackle.

McCullers will likely open as the starter at nose tackle when mini-camp starts. How long can he hold off rookie Javon Hargrave there? Defensive line coach John Mitchell was raving about McCullers at the draft, saying the big man gets it now. Was that lip service or does McCullers now understand that he has to bring the same intensity on every play?

• Bud Dupree – Dupree flashed early last season as the team gave its top draft pick plenty of chances to shine. But he faded badly in the second half of last season.

Dupree was going to be a project, that was certain when the Steelers took him in the first round. Will he turn it on in his second season and become a consistent performer?

• Jarvis Jones – Like Dupree, Jones has showed flashes. And his play as a run stopper gets overlooked, but has been pretty good. But where are the sacks?

Last year, Jones came into OTAs bigger than he had been the previous season. Is he still working on improving his strength and speed, especially since he is now in a contract year after the Steelers didn’t pick up his option for 2017?

• Le’Veon Bell and Maurkice Pouncey – By all reports, Pouncey will be ready to go after missing all of 2015 with a broken leg.

Bell seems to be on target to be ready to go for training camp, as well, after tearing his MCL midway through the season. In fact, he’s signed on to play in the Antonio Brown charity softball game June 11, so he must be feeling good.

The Steelers need both of those All-Pro players on the field to offset the loss of not only Heath Miller to retirement, but Martavis Bryant to a season-long suspension, as well.

• The left tackle position – Alejandro Villanueva did a credible job last season, but he wasn’t the second coming of Orlando Pace. He struggled at times, though the year’s experience should be very helpful.

Ryan Harris was brought in to provide competition, but is that more than in name only?

The Steelers have a good team, one that might be the best in the AFC. But if it has a revolving door at left tackle, that could be an issue.

• Ladarius Green – The free agent tight end was signed to replace Miller and, as we found out days later when Bryant was suspended, Bryant, as well. He’s a speedy, big receiving threat in the middle of the field.

But he has also struggled with injury issues, playing 16 games just once in his four seasons.

Can he quickly get on the same page with Ben Roethlisberger? And does he bring anything as a blocker, or is he just another pumped up wide receiver?