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Timmons Still Sidelined, Woodley Continues to Impress...

The Steelers top two draft choices from this year's draft are off to different starts one month in to their professional careers. Timmons, who injured his groin on the very first day of mini-camps May 11th, is still trying to recover from the nagging injury. Woodley on the other hand is making unprecedented progress for a defensive end trying to make the transition to LB, according to LBs coach Keith Butler:

"Compared to the other guys we've had here and trying to make the transition with them, he's further along than anybody we've had," Butler said.

Hopefully the team (and Timmons) will be wise about not rushing the team's #1 overall draft pick on to the field. Last summer, Hines Ward pushed it a bit too hard at first and it cost him practices and a few weeks of optimal productivity to start the season. The temptation for Timmons of course, is to want to be out there proving he was worth being drafted so high. He's also watching Woodley tearing it up day after day. But it appears Butler is being wise with the talented LB from Florida State:

"You don't want to keep having a recurring problem," Butler said. "I'd rather see him get well, get healthy, make sure he's in great shape. I don't think it's possible for a rookie to understand what it's like to be in NFL shape until they've done it, until they've been around the guys who they're playing with. These two guys are no different, they don't understand what it is to be in great NFL shape."

Here's hoping Timmons can get healthy in time to get in shape and work with the defense throughout training camp. If Woodley is in fact as good as advertised, and Timmons can get on the field, I think we'll have a lot more fun cheering on this Steelers defense than we did last year.