PITTSBURGH STEELERS OFFENSIVE LINE

PITTSBURGH STEELERS OFFENSIVE LINE

What happens when a former NFL Pro Bowl offensive lineman and a former Super Bowl Champion o-lineman get together to review a current NFL team’s offensive line? You get an honest, in-depth report at the good, the bad and the ugly.

Former Pro Bowler, LeCharles Bentley, and former Super Bowl Champ, Max Starks, combine their years of o-line experience to bring you the Block Report:

The Steelers offensive line has weathered several challenges this season. Due to those challenges, the current unit presents a unique dichotomy of skill sets and experiences. With the absences of starting LT Kelvin Beachum, C Maurkice Pouncey and the limited appearances by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the unit has had to adapt to trying circumstances. The additional shuffling at running back has added another layer of complexity to the equation. Why, the hallmark of high quality offensive line play is rooted in consistency. The inconsistencies they’ve endured has yielded varied returns on performance.

The film study reveals much of what you wouldn’t expect from an offensive line missing two opening day starters. Surprisingly, this mismatched conglomerate has played well thus far, given the circumstances. We were anticipating a dramatic drop off in terms of performance but were pleasantly surprised by the level of execution and discipline. Throughout history, the tempo/pace of this group has been set by a center that embodied the Steeler identity. The culture surrounding a Pittsburgh offensive line can be summed up in a single word, tough. Cody Wallace may not be all that you want from a physical standpoint, but he has carried the torch of toughness at a very high level. He has set the tempo each week, albeit crossing the line a bit too frequently. With that said, the Steelers offensive unit is one of the least penalized in the NFL. The discipline displayed upfront is a direct reflection of the coaching staff. This unit may not have the highest talent threshold, but they aren’t going to hurt themselves with mental mistakes. This has allowed them to remain true to their identity through running the football, which has placed them sixth in the NFL in total yards rushing. In spite of missing two starters, they’ve only given up 23 sacks. Comparatively, the Cleveland Browns, with all five of their opening day starters, two of which are pro bowlers, have given up 36.

ALEJANDRO VILLANUEVA, LT

After being thrust into the starting role due to the unfortunate knee injury sustained by Kelvin Beachum, Villanueva has faired ok. The one thing we know to expect from him is a high level of effort. It’s not an easy task for an inexperienced player to step in for a player like Beachum. You’d expect a fair amount of hesitation that leads to a cascade of performance issues. Alejandro has stepped in with a fighter’s mentality. On the flip side, his mechanics have not caught up with his heart. His primary issue is found with the stance. This has lead to many of the inefficient patterns he’s displaying thus far. We noticed his left heel is too high off the ground, while his foot is pointing relatively straight ahead. This inappropriate position leads him to shorten the edge way too soon upon taking his first kick into his pass set. To give you a more clear visual, imagine a race car driver cutting his wheel too soon in to a turn on the track versus easing the wheel with the turn. This shifts the leverage and control towards the natural pass rush path of the defender, while a proper pass set is going to create a natural “intersect” point along the way. Outside of affecting his one on one pass protection, this inefficient movement pattern hurts his ability to pass off defensive line games and pressures. His true novice shows up in the run game. Apparently he is not comfortable run blocking out of a two point stance. On the run downs he turns to a three point stance, even when the quarterback is in shotgun. This is a significant issue as defenders are constantly on the look out for tendencies that reveal the offenses hand.

RAMON FOSTER, LG

As the veteran leader of the group, Foster has been the most consistent performer of the bunch...

to read rest of article:

http://www.lbolineperformance.com/pittsburgh-steelers-block-report/

Good read. I find it kind of ironic that they harp on how high the heels of Vilaneuva and Gilbert are, but I always thought Max Starks had terrible stance with his outside heel in pass protection. I still think its a good group in light of the injuries.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

Good read.  I find it kind of ironic that they harp on how high the heels of Vilaneuva and Gilbert are, but I always thought Max Starks had terrible stance with his outside heel in pass protection.  I still think its a good group in light of the injuries.

I like what they said about Foster playing flat. This is something that was on display constantly when Mike Adams was struggling at LT. You would always see interior pressure in the gap between Adams and Foster. This helps explain why that pressure is there and a accurately describes a flaw in technique.

Beachum has also had struggles with this because of the way Foster plays. It's nice to hear pros breaking it down the way they did in this article. You don't get this type of in depth analysis often, particularly regarding offensive line play.

I think you're right about Starks when he played. He may have been flawed, and he surely wasn't perfect. With that said, I'm sure they have learned the proper techniques over the many years of being coached up. I wouldn't doubt that Starks in particular sees more flaws now than he did when he was self evaluating himself as a player.

pczach wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

Good read.  I find it kind of ironic that they harp on how high the heels of Vilaneuva and Gilbert are, but I always thought Max Starks had terrible stance with his outside heel in pass protection.  I still think its a good group in light of the injuries.

I like what they said about Foster playing flat. This is something that was on display constantly when Mike Adams was struggling at LT. You would always see interior pressure in the gap between Adams and Foster. This helps explain why that pressure is there and a accurately describes a flaw in technique.

Beachum has also had struggles with this because of the way Foster plays. It's nice to hear pros breaking it down the way they did in this article. You don't get this type of in depth analysis often, particularly regarding offensive line play.

I think you're right about Starks when he played. He may have been flawed, and he surely wasn't perfect. With that said, I'm sure they have learned the proper techniques over the many years of being coached up. I wouldn't doubt that Starks in particular sees more flaws now than he did when he was self evaluating himself as a player.

Yeah, they talk of establishing a post foot in pass protection, so in the case of Beachum, its the right foot. So when Foster plays "flat" to the LOS as they say, it allows for an inside counter move, as Foster doesn't have the depth and crossing the post foot of the LT.

You can see most of the flaws, but I never really noticed DeCastro happy feet as a detriment. Interesting read.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

pczach wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

Good read.  I find it kind of ironic that they harp on how high the heels of Vilaneuva and Gilbert are, but I always thought Max Starks had terrible stance with his outside heel in pass protection.  I still think its a good group in light of the injuries.

I like what they said about Foster playing flat. This is something that was on display constantly when Mike Adams was struggling at LT. You would always see interior pressure in the gap between Adams and Foster. This helps explain why that pressure is there and a accurately describes a flaw in technique.

Beachum has also had struggles with this because of the way Foster plays. It's nice to hear pros breaking it down the way they did in this article. You don't get this type of in depth analysis often, particularly regarding offensive line play.

I think you're right about Starks when he played. He may have been flawed, and he surely wasn't perfect. With that said, I'm sure they have learned the proper techniques over the many years of being coached up. I wouldn't doubt that Starks in particular sees more flaws now than he did when he was self evaluating himself as a player.

Yeah, they talk of establishing a post foot in pass protection, so in the case of Beachum, its the right foot.  So when Foster plays "flat" to the LOS as they say, it allows for an inside counter move, as Foster doesn't have the depth and crossing the post foot of the LT.

You can see most of the flaws, but I never really noticed DeCastro happy feet as a detriment.  Interesting read.

I guess for me this begs the question:

since Munchak is supposedly such a good OL coach, why doesn't he see and correct these things?

Hawaii 5-0 wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

pczach wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

Good read.  I find it kind of ironic that they harp on how high the heels of Vilaneuva and Gilbert are, but I always thought Max Starks had terrible stance with his outside heel in pass protection.  I still think its a good group in light of the injuries.

I like what they said about Foster playing flat. This is something that was on display constantly when Mike Adams was struggling at LT. You would always see interior pressure in the gap between Adams and Foster. This helps explain why that pressure is there and a accurately describes a flaw in technique.

Beachum has also had struggles with this because of the way Foster plays. It's nice to hear pros breaking it down the way they did in this article. You don't get this type of in depth analysis often, particularly regarding offensive line play.

I think you're right about Starks when he played. He may have been flawed, and he surely wasn't perfect. With that said, I'm sure they have learned the proper techniques over the many years of being coached up. I wouldn't doubt that Starks in particular sees more flaws now than he did when he was self evaluating himself as a player.

Yeah, they talk of establishing a post foot in pass protection, so in the case of Beachum, its the right foot.  So when Foster plays "flat" to the LOS as they say, it allows for an inside counter move, as Foster doesn't have the depth and crossing the post foot of the LT.

You can see most of the flaws, but I never really noticed DeCastro happy feet as a detriment.  Interesting read.

I guess for me this begs the question:

since Munchak is supposedly such a good OL coach, why doesn't he see and correct these things?

they say Philip Rivers has a poor throwing motion. If a coach were to try to correct it to a fundamentally sound throwin motion he would probably be a worse quarterback.

Wow! A new thread!! Wasn't there a 2013 thread about the OL that this could've been added to? Lol.

Sorry for the rant but it gets tiring coming on looking for new topics and finding the same 10 that have been sitting there forever.


Maybe for OL it's like my golf game. I have a form I've developed and if I try to watching instructional videos it just screws me up. Muscle memory is set.

What can you really expect with Beachum, Wallace and Villanueva? I'm not saying they aren't solid backups but they aren't exactly starter material.

And I agree with Tony.

Hawaii 5-0 wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

pczach wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

Good read.  I find it kind of ironic that they harp on how high the heels of Vilaneuva and Gilbert are, but I always thought Max Starks had terrible stance with his outside heel in pass protection.  I still think its a good group in light of the injuries.

I like what they said about Foster playing flat. This is something that was on display constantly when Mike Adams was struggling at LT. You would always see interior pressure in the gap between Adams and Foster. This helps explain why that pressure is there and a accurately describes a flaw in technique.

Beachum has also had struggles with this because of the way Foster plays. It's nice to hear pros breaking it down the way they did in this article. You don't get this type of in depth analysis often, particularly regarding offensive line play.

I think you're right about Starks when he played. He may have been flawed, and he surely wasn't perfect. With that said, I'm sure they have learned the proper techniques over the many years of being coached up. I wouldn't doubt that Starks in particular sees more flaws now than he did when he was self evaluating himself as a player.

Yeah, they talk of establishing a post foot in pass protection, so in the case of Beachum, its the right foot.  So when Foster plays "flat" to the LOS as they say, it allows for an inside counter move, as Foster doesn't have the depth and crossing the post foot of the LT.

You can see most of the flaws, but I never really noticed DeCastro happy feet as a detriment.  Interesting read.

I guess for me this begs the question:

since Munchak is supposedly such a good OL coach, why doesn't he see and correct these things?

Maybe Munch is working on 78 and his stance, or maybe he doesn't care about his heel height? Maybe he is trying to get Foster better depth on his pass sets , but maybe Foster just reverts to short steps in the heat of the game?

Few linemen are going to be Anthony Munoz technically on every snap. Have to pick what is most important thing to improve.

Perfect o line technique is the perfect golf swing IMO. Except in golf, the ball doesn't weigh 280, move, hit back, or blitz other golf balls.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

Hawaii 5-0 wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

pczach wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

Good read.  I find it kind of ironic that they harp on how high the heels of Vilaneuva and Gilbert are, but I always thought Max Starks had terrible stance with his outside heel in pass protection.  I still think its a good group in light of the injuries.

I like what they said about Foster playing flat. This is something that was on display constantly when Mike Adams was struggling at LT. You would always see interior pressure in the gap between Adams and Foster. This helps explain why that pressure is there and a accurately describes a flaw in technique.

Beachum has also had struggles with this because of the way Foster plays. It's nice to hear pros breaking it down the way they did in this article. You don't get this type of in depth analysis often, particularly regarding offensive line play.

I think you're right about Starks when he played. He may have been flawed, and he surely wasn't perfect. With that said, I'm sure they have learned the proper techniques over the many years of being coached up. I wouldn't doubt that Starks in particular sees more flaws now than he did when he was self evaluating himself as a player.

Yeah, they talk of establishing a post foot in pass protection, so in the case of Beachum, its the right foot.  So when Foster plays "flat" to the LOS as they say, it allows for an inside counter move, as Foster doesn't have the depth and crossing the post foot of the LT.

You can see most of the flaws, but I never really noticed DeCastro happy feet as a detriment.  Interesting read.

I guess for me this begs the question:

since Munchak is supposedly such a good OL coach, why doesn't he see and correct these things?

Maybe Munch is working on 78 and his stance, or maybe he doesn't care about his heel height?  Maybe he is trying to get Foster better depth on his pass sets , but maybe Foster just reverts to short steps in the heat of the game?

Few linemen are going to be Anthony Munoz technically on every snap.  Have to pick what is most important thing to improve.

Perfect o line technique is the perfect golf swing IMO.  Except in golf, the ball doesn't weigh 280, move, hit back, or blitz other golf balls.

This is exactly what I'm thinking. There are guys that get coached up in all sports, and can duplicate what they are taught in practice, but don't retain their discipline when the real bullets are flying. Just like they train gunslinger quarterbacks to take better care of the ball, but when they start running in the heat of action, they start trying to fit it into tight windows.

It's what keeps certain players from taking that next step, and they never advance as far as they should because of their mental makeup.

Pzach, you coach drills on the o line that simulate game situations and promote correct muscle memory. So when it's live, you have been there before.

What I am saying is that actual great o line technique is so complicated, especially against great defenders. It's why Joe Thomas, Anthony Munoz, Alan Faneca, Will Shields, Tony Boselli, Walter Jones were so great to watch. kelvin Beachum honestly has great technique, but is just so undersized.

Pro Football Focus

Every Offensive Tackle ranked from best to worst this season:

78 total, Marcus Gilbert 18th, Kelvin Beachum 22nd, Allie Villanueva 55th

https://mobile.twitter.com/PFF/status/671774689765818369

The Steelers have been sacked just four times in their last 189 attempts. Kudos to the offensive line for doing work. #Steelers

— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) December 7, 2015

Villanueva really stepped it up. He might even be better than Beachum. They even did work against Seattle's front 7 in hostile territory which is nothing to sneeze at, they're one of the best in the business.

After the fight we put up in Seattle, I honestly think we're good enough to beat anyone, anywhere. The Bengals game will be the first test for that & hopefully they rise to the challenge, cause we got no room for error from here on out. I'm not even sure if 10-6 will get us into the playoffs.

It would be crazy if we were to win out and go 11-5 again. Except now we got D-Willy!

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line has stood tall against NFL's top defenses in 2015

By Jeff.Hartman on Dec 19, 2015

The Pittsburgh Steelers are about to face the top defense in the NFL in the Denver Broncos Sunday. Looking back, the Steelers offensive line has done a tremendous job against some of the top defenses in 2015.

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense is about to be tested in a serious way when the Denver Broncos come to Heinz Field in Week 15. The Broncos are the top ranked defense in the league, lead the league in sacks (44), allow well under 100 yards rushing a game (84) and have the front 7 to help their "No Fly Zone" secondary anchored by Aqib Talib and Chris Harris not allow a quarterback to throw for 300 yards throughout the 2015 season.

It will be a tall task for the Steelers offensive line to protect Ben Roethlisberger, allowing him time throw down the field, while opening running lanes for DeAngelo Williams to keep the offense balanced. A difficult job for Mike Munchak's line, which at times has been held together with crazy glue and duct tape. However, the Steelers have faced some elite defenses already in 2015, how have they fared against these units?

In Week 12 the Steelers went head-to-head with the second ranked defense, in terms of yards allowed, in the Seattle Seahawks. In that game, this was their stat line:

Ben Roethlisberger: 36/55, 456 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, sacked 2 times for 10 yards

DeAngelo Williams: 8 rushes for 29 yards, 1 TD

In Week 6, Pittsburgh went against the Arizona Cardinals, who are ranked 4th in terms of yardage allowed. Here is the stat line:

Landry Jones: 8/12, 168 yards, 2 TD, 0 sacks

Mike Vick: 3/8, 6 yards, 0 TD, 1 sack for 5 yards

Le'Veon Bell: 24 rushes for 88 yards

Mike Vick: 5 rushes for 47 yards

In Week 1, the Steelers played the New England Patriots**. New England is the 6th ranked defense in yards allowed, and are 2nd in the NFL in terms of sacking the QB. Here is the stat line.

Ben Roethlisberger: 26/38, 351 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 sacks for 13 yards

DeAngelo Williams: 21 rushes for 127 yards

In Week 7 the Steelers played the Kansas City Chiefs, who are 8th overall in terms of yards allowed, and have the 4th most sacks in 2015.  Take a look at the stat line:

Landry Jones: 16/29, 209 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2 sacks for 17 yards (one a strip sack)

Le'Veon Bell: 17 rushes for 121 yards

How the Steelers offensive line has done against other Top 10 teams in pressuring the QB in 2015:

Cincinnati Bengals: Week 8 - 3 sacks / Week 14 - 2 sacks
St. Louis Rams: Week 3 - 5 sacks (3 on Roethlisberger / 2 on Vick)
Oakland Raiders: Week 9 - 1 sack

The Steelers have done more than enough to protect their quarterback against some of the top defenses in the league, as well as open up lanes in the running game. When the Broncos come to Heinz Field, it will certainly be a challenge to protect Ben Roethlisberger from Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, all while opening up holes for DeAngelo Williams in the running game. However, if 2015 has done anything, it has proven this offensive line is more than capapble of winning the battle in the trenches, even against some of the NFL's best units.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/pittsburgh-steelers-nfl-features-news-blog-long-form/2015/12/19/10231318/pittsburgh-steelers-offensive-line-has-stood-tall-against-nfls-top

Have to say this unit has done well despite 2 big injuries. Gilbert and DeCastro have really solidified the right side. Wallace battles hard and isn't great, but gets the job done.

A.V. for the most part has been positive. He had a few lapses yesterday that will show up in film room as not bending his knees, not delivering a punch to the defender and being lazy with his hands. Those are all learning experiences he needs to get better.

If you took most O lines and removed the top 2 linemen for the season, the results would not normally be having the #2 offense in the NFL.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

Have to say this unit has done well despite 2 big injuries.  Gilbert and DeCastro have really solidified the right side.  Wallace battles hard and isn't great, but gets the job done.  

A.V. for the most part has been positive.  He had a few lapses yesterday that will show up in film room as not bending his knees, not delivering a punch to the defender and being lazy with his hands.  Those are all learning experiences he needs to get better.

If you took most O lines and removed the top 2 linemen for the season, the results would not normally be having the #2 offense in the NFL.

AV did a good job considering who he was up against, probably one of the league's best. Munchak deserves a lot of credit though for putting this line together.

Fire Arians wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

Have to say this unit has done well despite 2 big injuries.  Gilbert and DeCastro have really solidified the right side.  Wallace battles hard and isn't great, but gets the job done.  

A.V. for the most part has been positive.  He had a few lapses yesterday that will show up in film room as not bending his knees, not delivering a punch to the defender and being lazy with his hands.  Those are all learning experiences he needs to get better.

If you took most O lines and removed the top 2 linemen for the season, the results would not normally be having the #2 offense in the NFL.

AV did a good job considering who he was up against, probably one of the league's best. Munchak deserves a lot of credit though for putting this line together.

Agree, Munchak is doing a great job.

A.V. let Shane Ray beat him on a spin move, because he doesn't punch well and is lazy with his hands at times. He let Malik Jackson go inside on him, because he didn't set well so he could close the inside with a power step. If Gilbert or Mike Adams had such a game, the board would be crucifying them...but not A.V.

Those are all learning moments, but lets not give him a pass because he was up against D. Ware, while simple fundamental breakdowns caused several mistakes.

I am not a fan of wallace...at all

Looking ahead at the Steelers: offensive line

By Dale Lolley January 28, 2016

Despite losing Maurkice Pouncey and Kelvin Beachum, arguably its two most important players, for all but seven games this season, the Steelers’ offensive line was perhaps the strength of the team.

At the very least, the unit was the team’s best as a group on a week-to-week basis in 2015.

But with several key members ready to hit the free agent market, the Steelers are going to have some tough decisions to make moving forward if they want to keep this unit together.

Here’s a look at where the Steelers stand:

Guys under contract: G David DeCastro; RT Marcus Gilbert; C Maurkice Pouncey; T Alejandro Villanueva; C Cody Wallace; G Chris Hubbard.

There also is some flotsam and jetsam the team signed after the season, but six guys listed are locks to make the team with the exception of Hubbard. DeCastro, Gilbert and Pouncey are three starters next season and all carry a big price tag. Pouncey carries a cap hit of $10.5 million, DeCastro $8.07 million and Gilbert $6.46 million. That’s a lot of cash at one position and the Steelers will look to work out a long-term deal with DeCastro, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod this season and also was named an All-Pro. That could lower his cap hit slightly, but not a great deal.

Some have suggested cutting or trading Pouncey, but that’s highly unlikely to happen. Cutting or trading him would actually cost the Steelers money unless it was done with a June 1 designation. But the Steelers don’t need the cap space. A big part of his cap hit this year is because of a $3.5 million roster bonus, so the Steelers could do something with that to free up some cap space if needed.

Yes, Pouncey has missed 31 games in the past three seasons, but his injuries have been of the freakish variety. He’s still a key player on this team and if Ramon Foster leaves in free agency, Pouncey’s leadership will be crucial moving forward.

Many questioned a contract extension given to Gilbert two years ago, but his $6.4 million cap hit now looks very reasonable given his level of play.

Villanueva stepped in for Beachum when he suffered a season-ending ACL tear and performed well, but not to Beachum’s level. The team could decide to move forward with him at left tackle – and with a salary of $525,000, he would be a bargain – but he might better be served with being the swing guy for a season.

Wallace proved solid at center, prompting some of the speculation about Pouncey, and some have raised the prospect of starting him at guard to replace Foster. But he has struggled at guard in the past and should go back to his role as the backup guard/center.

Free agents: G Ramon Foster; T Kelvin Beachum; C Doug Legursky; T Mike Adams; T Byron Stingily; T Mitchell Van Dyk; T Kevin Palmer

There is some sentiment to re-sign Foster but the 30-year-old will likely get an offer in free agency the Steelers won’t be able or willing to match.

Beachum would have been one of the more coveted free agents to hit the market had he not suffered the ACL injury in October. Good, young left tackles don’t often hit the open market.

In that respect, the Steelers might have gotten fortunate. Beachum already was viewed as undersized – he was the NFL’s smallest starting left tackle – and the injury won’t help. The Steelers like his smarts and ability to play with great technique. He could be re-signed with the intention of moving him to guard to replace Foster with Villanueva staying at left tackle. Under that scenario, the Steelers could bring Adams back as the swing tackle.

Legursky won’t be needed any longer and the veteran likely will be allowed to move on. The Steelers could bring back the other three guys as training camp bodies.

Free agent targets: Brandon Brooks, Texans; Chris Chester, Falcons; Mike Harris, Vikings.

Yeah, not exactly a list of household names, but they’re all guards, so is that surprising. Brooks and Harris are up-and-comers who would be solid, young replacements for Foster. Chester, at 33, is a bit older, but could be a nice one- or two-year replacement while young player is groomed for the spot or to keep it warm. Remember, the Steelers have a long history of plugging in aging vets at left guard, from Duval Love to Will Wolford. But I think the plan will be resigning Beachum to play the spot if Foster leaves.

http://www.observer-reporter.com/app...GS08/160129553

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for Mike Adams to prove he belongs on the team.  

Dale Lolley ‏@dlolleyor

Stanford's Josh Garnett would be nice pick after first round 4 #Steelers. Tough guard. Wants to be trauma surgeon after FB. Great interview

Best comment from Garnett was when he said he wants to "run through the soul" of defenders at the second level. I'm sure that hurts

https://twitter.com/dlolleyor?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Based on my evaluations and the needs and wants that have been expressed at this message board, I think it's a slam dunk that the Steelers select.....

OT Willie Beavers, Western Michigan

You can never have too many beavers for Steelers fans at SX!

Hawaii 5-0 wrote:

Dale Lolley ‏@dlolleyor  

Stanford's Josh Garnett would be nice pick after first round 4 #Steelers. Tough guard. Wants to be trauma surgeon after FB. Great interview

Best comment from Garnett was when he said he wants to "run through the soul" of defenders at the second level. I'm sure that hurts

https://twitter.com/dlolleyor?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Garnett needs some physical development. Not quite the out-of-the-box player that DeCastro was. But Garnett is an animal in the trenches. He definitely has that nastiness the Steelers like on their line.