There has been much reaction from the first week of training camp. Let me rephrase that. There has been much over-reaction from some non-padded practices. Where is Allen Iverson when you really need him?

We would all do well to remember how misleading the preseason was for this team last year. When putting into context how little those exhibition games revealed about the team’s actual in-season performance, there is virtually nothing that can be learned or be set in stone from one week of practice without pads.

I liken it to boxing, since that is the world I know best. Practicing football without pads is like getting in some rounds on the heavy bag. It’s necessary for conditioning and working on technique, but since the bag does not hit back, it’s not a useful tool to gauge how ready you are for the fight. You have to get hit before you can find out the truth about yourself.

The first team offensive line has been a point of contention, with the highly touted rookies regulated to second team duties. Do not fret. Zach Frazier and Troy Fautanu are right where they should be at this point of the process. They need to be eased into these activities and learn the ways of an NFL training camp before being thrown into the fire. Think of Bugs Bunny lowering himself into the witch’s cauldron of boiling water. He didn’t just plop down all at once. Bugs had to gingerly lower his rear end down a little at a time, and that’s what the first few weeks of camp should be for the rookies. They need to get acclimated to the water temperature in order to not get boiled alive.

A successful season can’t be ensured in training camp, but it can be ruined. Think of Antonio Brown destroying the confidence of Artie Burns in his second year. We all forget that Burns was exceptionally good in his rookie year. There were articles comparing him to Ike Taylor except with better hands. Brown made it his mission to destroy Burns in camp, and he did just that. I don’t think the team has the Antonio Brown problem personality on the team now, but this is a talented defense with outstanding pass rushers, and damaging the confidence of promising rookies before they even get started is to be avoided. Belief in yourself is a crucial component to life, and sports is no exception.

The center and guard positions require understanding the entirety of the play, not just the role of the individual position. It’s difficult for the physical talents to shine through while working through the mental aspects of those responsibilities. When the pads go on this week, and the hitting starts, that’s when the new big men start to learn what life will really be like come September. It’s going to be coming at them fast and relentless. The training wheels come off when the pads go on. Let the rookies get those wobbly first rides under their belt with the second team before pushing them off the black diamond downhill trail that is the Steelers first team defense.

There is no need to rush the rookies into first team activities until they are ready and prepared to succeed. If the veterans on the team perform well enough to hold down the position, that’s actually a good thing. It means there is quality depth at the ready whenever injuries inevitably strike. The rookies’ time will come, and this offensive line could be the cornerstone of team success for years to come. Taking it slow in training camp and letting them learn the offense before being dropped in the boiling cauldron can only help.

Steeler fans, remember that the first team line up in July matters little to what will be on the field when opening day comes in September. If the rookies are ready, they will be there. If not, it does not mean they are a bust or a bad pick. The best things are always worth waiting for, and your patience will be rewarded.