Steelers rookies await their turns

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Martavis Bryant can feel the urge to raise his hand whenever the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver hears a member of the coaching staff talk about the team’s need to become more aggressive in the red zone.

Yet the 6-foot-4 rookie stays quiet, even if his sizable frame would present the kind of matchup advantages the Steelers are looking for in tight spaces.

“I think about [speaking up] from time to time but at the same time it ain’t going to get me nowhere,” Bryant said. “It’s going out and proving what you can do.”

Five months after being taken in the fourth round of the draft to give quarterback Ben Roethlisberger the big target he’s lacked since Plaxico Burress bolted nearly a decade ago, Bryant is still waiting for his chance.

For the first time since he started playing football at age 6, Bryant spends his week on the scout team and Sundays watching from the sideline in sweat pants after being placed on the inactive list.

It’s a streak that’s unlikely to change heading into Sunday’s game at Cleveland (2-2). Not playing when he’s healthy is weird, but Bryant understands the dynamic. He’s young, raw and stuck at the bottom of a depth chart behind more experienced players like Justin Brown and Darrius Heyward-Bey, both of whom are excellent blockers on special teams, a skill Bryant is still developing.

“Everything is not a perfect Cinderella story,” Bryant said. “I’m still a rookie. I’m just going to patiently wait and whatever happens, happens. When my time comes I’ll be ready and take advantage like I always do.”

Bryant’s got plenty of company. After spending most of the preseason talking about how vital first-year players will be in helping the Steelers (3-2) keep pace in the AFC North, only rookie linebacker Ryan Shazier has earned consistent playing time, and he’s out indefinitely with a sprained right knee.

Finding balance between their own internal drive and their current place on the roster is difficult for Bryant, running back/wide receiver Dri Archer and defensive tackle Stephon Tuitt. While Bryant is still waiting for his first snap in a regular season game, Archer and Tuitt have found their way on to the field, just not as frequently as they would like.

An ankle injury in the opener against the Browns has slowed Archer’s progress. Taken in the third round because of his versatility and 4.27-second time in the 40-yard dash, Archer has yet to flash the explosiveness that made him one of the most dynamic players in the country during his college career at Kent State.

Archer’s five offensive touches have gone for a total of 13 yards and he’s averaging just 16.3 yards on kickoff returns.

Offensive coordinator Todd Haley praised Archer’s progress and blamed poor blocking as the culprit in why a pair of plays designed specifically for Archer failed in last week’s sluggish 17-9 win over Jacksonville.

“He’s a good runner inside and out,” Haley said. “He’s got very good vision and he’s putting the ball where it’s supposed to go.”

Even if it’s not to the end zone. Archer stressed he’s “just a young guy learning the process,” one that includes watching and learning. While technically a running back, he’s worked extensively with the wide receivers as Haley searches for ways to get Archer free in space. The big plays haven’t happened yet, but Archer believes they’re coming.

So does Bryant, even if it may not be until next year. A shoulder injury at the end of training camp didn’t help matters.