Steelers News: Not to be overlooked, Vince Williams is showing the new ILBs the way

With the 2019 NFL Draft in the rear view mirror, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2019 season is fast approaching, and the news surrounding the black-and-gold is far from over. As the team now turns their attention to more offseason workouts, OTAs and minicamp, there is no shortage of news.

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at how although overlooked by many, Vince Williams is doing right by the new inside linebackers on the Steelers’ roster. The same players some have tabbed to potentially take his job in 2019.

Let’s get to the news:

• Don’t ever say Vince Williams isn’t a team player. Williams bleeds black-and-gold like the rabid fan base who supports the team, and he isn’t about to let the fact the team drafted a linebacker in the first round deter him from helping the team. Williams could make Mark Barron and Devin Bush both learn on their own, but that isn’t his style.

Kevin Gorman: Vince Williams welcomes Steelers’ new inside linebackers

By: Kevin Gorman, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

If you expected Vince Williams to sound insecure or insulted about the Pittsburgh Steelers signing a free-agent inside linebacker and selecting another inside linebacker with their top draft pick, you don’t know Vince Williams.

Williams never is at a loss for words, but he directed his vitriol toward what he termed a “tumultuous” offseason after selfishness led the Steelers to a second-place finish in the AFC North and missing the playoffs last season.

“We want to win, man,” Williams said Wednesday after a voluntary organized team activity on the South Side. “There ain’t no egos. No need be coy about it. We didn’t make the playoffs last year. We feel like we’re a championship-caliber unit. So everybody is embarrassed and (ticked) off.”

To read the full article, click HERE

• Don’t look now, but the Steelers’ starting defense has taken the football away, via interception, twice now in the first two days of OTAs.

Another interception for Steelers 1st-team defense at OTAs

By: Chris Adamski, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

One of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ priorities for this season was to increase their takeaways.

It’s extremely early — but so far, so good in that department.

For the second consecutive day at organized team activities, the Steelers first-team defense intercepted Ben Roethlisberger during the “seven shots” drill that traditionally opens the team portion of every practice.

That means that among eight 2-point conversion-style plays between the first-team offense and first-team defense so far, two were intercepted. It was cornerback Joe Haden on Tuesday and safety Terrell Edmunds on Wednesday.

Not bad considering the Steelers intercepted just eight of their opponents’ 566 passes last season.

To read the full article, click HERE

• Despite Mike Hilton not currently being under contract, considering he hasn’t signed his free agent tender, he is still at OTAs and getting work done in hopes of getting a new deal before the start of the season.

CB Mike Hilton unsigned but present at Steelers OTAs

By: Chris Adamski, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

After Wednesday’s session at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Hilton confirmed both that he has yet to sign the exclusive-rights free agent tender the Steelers have presented him with and that he was taking OTA reps at the nickel inside cornerback. This is Hilton’s fourth NFL preseason, his third with the Steelers and his second since establishing himself as the Steelers’ No. 1 option to cover receivers in the slot.

But after two seasons, 31 games, five sacks, three interceptions and 14 passes defended for the Steelers in that role, Hilton has to this point politely declined to accept the relatively-paltry (by NFL standards) salary associated with an ERFA tender.

“No, not yet,” Hilton said of signing it. “But that’s why I am here. I want to be here and I want to show them I want to be part of this group for as long as possible. So, when that (contract) time comes around, hopefully things work out.”

To read the full article, click HERE

• When everyone has been talking about players like JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Donte Moncrief to fill the shoes left by Antonio Brown, no one is really talking about Vance McDonald stepping up...

McDonald welcomes ‘hard’ challenge of replacing AB

By: Hunter Homistek, DKPittsburghSports

Vance McDonald is primed for a breakout year with the Steelers.

Last season, McDonald caught 50 passes for 610 yards and four touchdowns with a 69.4 percent catch rate. Those were career bests for McDonald, who spent the first five years of his NFL career with the 49ers.

Now, with Antonio Brown and Jesse James gone, McDonald figures to be in an even better position to succeed. It’s a point he recognizes well.

”[I’m focused on] just maintaining my health and just consistency with [Ben Roethlisberger],” McDonald was telling me at the Rooney Complex after Day 2 of Steelers OTAs. ”I think at the end of the day, you can both be tremendous athletes but if you’re not thinking, breathing on the same [page] — that’s really what I’m trying to go for this offseason. It’s just, ‘How much closer can I get with Ben?’ Because at the end of the day, like I said, I think it’s about relationships, so thinking the same, on the same page, and I think you’ll connect a lot more.”

To read the full article, click HERE

• Social Media Madness