Steelers cancel final minicamp practice Thursday

Football in shorts has seemed to come to an early end in Pittsburgh. One could be safe in assuming that Tomlin's decision to cancel the final practice of mini camp means that he is pleased with what he sees from the Steelers so far during this offseason.

One could also assume that this is another example that what goes on in the classrooms during these sessions is much more important than what happens on the field.

This time of year is about getting acquainted or re-acquainted with the playbook. It also gives the coaches a chance to see how well the new faces respond to NFL coaching, what kind of physical conditioning they are in, and how willing they are to compete at the NFL level.

Additionally, minicamp serves as an opportunity to try out new wrinkles schematically. Whether it be an outside zone play, or a new blitz on defense, coaches and coordinators get an opportunity to see on the field what they have been tinkering at in the office all off season.

With those things being realized, the Steelers can now move on to football in pads in Latrobe.