2021 Training Camp Battles to Watch: Center

[Steeler Nation]

Unfortunately, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced last Thursday that training camp will not take place in Latrobe at St. Vincent’s College like it usually does. Instead it will take place at Heinz Field and the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. No matter where training camp takes place, players will be fighting for roster spots as well as starting positions.

One of the more intriguing position battles to watch in camp will be at the center position.

Back in February, the Steelers 11 year-starting center, Maurkice Pouncey retired. Pouncey’s retirement left a huge hole on the offensive line that the Steelers haven’t had to worry about for over a decade. The two players that will be battling for the center spot will be rookie, Kendrick Green, and veteran, B.J. Finney.

Green was drafted by the Steelers in the 3rd round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Green is a violent and versatile interior offensive lineman. The only worry with a lot of Steeler fans is that Green didn’t spend a lot of time at center in college. Can he bring the violent and aggressive play that he played with at guard for Illinois to the NFL and the center position?

When the Steelers spent their 87th overall pick on Green, new offensive line coach Adrian Klemm spoke about Green’s lack of experience at the center position in college.

“Well, he played center, but he played at a high level.” Klemm said. “You are talking about a guy who took snaps in practice, but didn’t play a number of games there. There were two games that he played in, I think it was his bowl game and one this year where he didn’t even know he was going to play (center) in the game. But he was ready for it.”

“He was making calls from the guard position. I think at one point he played next to a tight end. They ran through a number of linemen. They had three or four quarterbacks playing throughout the year. Just to operate under those kinds of circumstances and still play at a high level, it was just really impressive. And from a mental standpoint, I had the opportunity to go out for his pro day and work him out myself, feel his power, see the suddenness up close and personal. His ability to retain and just what he knows and his understanding for offensive line play as a whole was tremendous. He was very impressive.”

Klemm’s vote of confidence for Green’s ability definitely eases my mind, especially with the mindset I know Klemm is going to try to instill in this offensive line room this upcoming season.

Check out Green’s official junior year highlights below:




Finney is a familiar face, initially signing with the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2015. Finney spent his career with the Steelers as a reliable backup on the interior offensive line for the Steelers, before the Seattle Seahawks signed him to a deal last offseason. Finney never played a down for the Seahawks and he was eventually dealt to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Carlos Dunlap trade. In four years with the Steelers, Finney appeared in 59 games and started in 13 of those. Finney was very reliable and versatile in his time with the Steelers, starting games at center and both guard positions. With a lot of changes up front for the Steelers, it’ll definitely be great to have the veteran leadership and versatility that Finney presents in a very young offensive line room, no matter if he wins the starting center position or not.






Of course, we can’t forget about the emotional announcement that Finney made in front of family and friends when his NFL dreams came true back in 2015.




Who do you think wins the starting center position battle in training camp? Sound off in the comment section below, or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

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[stillwright]

Mind is at ease also knowing Klemm is at the helm of these guys....

 

[slashsteel]

Mind is at ease also knowing Klemm is at the helm of these guys....

Just a wait and see but he has a lot on his plate with a shuffling of the deck Oline.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Article said in 4 years (with the steelers) he appeared in 59 games.

4 X 16 = 54

did we really participate in 5 PO(play off) games in that stetch ???


I'm glad Klemm is here and I hope he brings what is expected. I want the GREEN kid to be starting and nasty as ****, something we've been missing. Chuks needs to dominate in TC (training camp) and not just marginaly win the LT spot. I'd like to see our OL (offensive line) get a unnessesary roughness call against them because of aggresiveness. When is the last time we saw that happen, not counting bone-head ****/chyt/shyite.



Salute the nation

 

[stillwright]

Article said in 4 years (with the steelers) he appeared in 59 games.

4 X 16 = 54

did we really participate in 5 PO(play off) games in that stetch ???


I'm glad Klemm is here and I hope he brings what is expected. I want the GREEN kid to be starting and nasty as ****, something we've been missing. Chuks needs to dominate in TC (training camp) and not just marginaly win the LT spot. I'd like to see our OL (offensive line) get a unnessesary roughness call against them because of aggresiveness. When is the last time we saw that happen, not counting bone-head ****/chyt/shyite.



Salute the nation

4x16=64

Just saying.

 

[Drink IRON City]

4x16=64

Just saying.

****, air in the head syndrone...............................................

I knew we hadn't participated in 5 play off games but couldn't see the math right in front of me........ SHITsizZle


Has anybody ever had that day, where one could be in BAZARO world and not relize it....... All I can say or do is laugh at myself,... and very hard laugh it is.



Salute the nation

 

[steelreeling]

Mind is at ease also knowing Klemm is at the helm of these guys....

Thing is, Klemm could do a remarkable job getting these guys to play well on the OL and yet the offense could still look like dogshit. I fear that we just don't have the personnel (and never will) to do the entire package of what Canada is gonna wanna call.

You could see this a little last year as well. When the play-call was something that really called for run where the outside linemen had to open holes with 1-on-1 - we sucked big-time. Or when the call was a pass where the routes needed to develop over the middle, we choked on it. Those were calls where we're asking our guys to do things that they sucked at. Our line could not hold the point when literally push came to shove. Those calls were destructive and took their toll. The calls should have been more double teams and more run heavy actually.

it's my just my own theory. But i argue that you need a real identity. One just cannot make a living threatening any and all types of attack from any possible set. And that's exactly what Canada has lobbied for! Sure the defense needs to respect a few different threats from your offense. I grant him that. But the overwhelming majority of the time, your call has to be exactly what your guys do best. That's key. Playing to your strengths and not weakness. I fear the strategy is an everything or nothing deal where we are gonna get a heap of nothing.

I hope i'm wrong. Though right now i have no idea what identity the OL will be able to execute. They seem to all have this perfect mosaic of conflicting strengths & weakness.

 

[slashsteel]

Article said in 4 years (with the steelers) he appeared in 59 games.

4 X 16 = 54

did we really participate in 5 PO(play off) games in that stetch ???


I'm glad Klemm is here and I hope he brings what is expected. I want the GREEN kid to be starting and nasty as ****, something we've been missing. Chuks needs to dominate in TC (training camp) and not just marginaly win the LT spot. I'd like to see our OL (offensive line) get a unnessesary roughness call against them because of aggresiveness. When is the last time we saw that happen, not counting bone-head ****/chyt/shyite.



Salute the nation

Really the C position is the only position 3 men can make a case to start.

Article said in 4 years (with the steelers) he appeared in 59 games.

4 X 16 = 54

did we really participate in 5 PO(play off) games in that stetch ???


I'm glad Klemm is here and I hope he brings what is expected. I want the GREEN kid to be starting and nasty as ****, something we've been missing. Chuks needs to dominate in TC (training camp) and not just marginaly win the LT spot. I'd like to see our OL (offensive line) get a unnessesary roughness call against them because of aggresiveness. When is the last time we saw that happen, not counting bone-head ****/chyt/shyite.



Salute the nation

Thing is, Klemm could do a remarkable job getting these guys to play well on the OL and yet the offense could still look like dogshit. I fear that we just don't have the personnel (and never will) to do the entire package of what Canada is gonna wanna call.

You could see this a little last year as well. When the play-call was something that really called for run where the outside linemen had to open holes with 1-on-1 - we sucked big-time. Or when the call was a pass where the routes needed to develop over the middle, we choked on it. Those were calls where we're asking our guys to do things that they sucked at. Our line could not hold the point when literally push came to shove. Those calls were destructive and took their toll. The calls should have been more double teams and more run heavy actually.

it's my just my own theory. But i argue that you need a real identity. One just cannot make a living threatening any and all types of attack from any possible set. And that's exactly what Canada has lobbied for! Sure the defense needs to respect a few different threats from your offense. I grant him that. But the overwhelming majority of the time, your call has to be exactly what your guys do best. That's key. Playing to your strengths and not weakness. I fear the strategy is an everything or nothing deal where we are gonna get a heap of nothing.

I hope i'm wrong. Though right now i have no idea what identity the OL will be able to execute. They seem to all have this perfect mosaic of conflicting strengths & weakness.

So many variables. Will Banner stay healthy, ditto Turner? Will Chukes prove to be better on the left? Who will win the C job and will they are least be solid? Will BigDot be a big edition or a big dud? Stay tuned for the next episode of as the O-line turns.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

I think collins will take one of the guard spots by sept.