Black and Gold Links: The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver transformation officially underway

POSTED IN | no comments

Time to check on the latest news surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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 the Steelers wide receiver transformation, also known as life without Antonio Brown, is officially underway with the team reporting to their rookie minicamp.

Let’s get to the news:

• Life without Antonio Brown is anything but certain at this juncture. Not only replacing the receptions and yards, but the 15 touchdowns he was able to achieve in 2018. Nonetheless, the transformation is officially underway.

Steelers’ wide receiver transformation well underway

By: Jeremy Fowler, ESPN

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp will remind how much things will change and stay the same in the wide receiver room.

The top offensive playmaker from the draft class, third-round Toledo receiver Diontae Johnson, will take the practice fields Friday with a profile eerily similar to the man who left town after four All-Pro seasons, Antonio Brown. Both are 5-foot-10 Florida natives from Mid-American Conference schools who offset below-blazing 40 times by playing the game fast. Wide receivers coach Darryl Drake says Johnson gets in and out of breaks “as well as anyone I’ve seen in a long time.”

Brown does that just fine, too. But while rookie camp will feature plenty of defense, Johnson’s presence is significant because of what it represents: one cog in a pass-catching offense that must win collectively.

To read the full article, click HERE

• The No. 55 brings back some fond memories for Steelers fans. No, I’m not talking about Stevenson Sylvester, but Joey Porter. When first round pick Devin Bush picked the 55 for his jersey numbers, fans were excited…and rightfully so.

Wearing 55 for first time with Steelers ‘fit good’ on top pick Devin Bush

By: Kevin Gorman, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Devin Bush wore a Pittsburgh Steelers practice jersey for the first time in his NFL career Friday at the team’s rookie minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side.

The rookie inside linebacker, the No. 10 pick in the NFL Draft, felt like he belonged from the beginning.

“I love it,” Bush said. “It fit good on me. I liked it. I’m just happy to be here.”

Bush will wear No. 55 for the Steelers, a number previously worn by Steelers linebackers ranging from his position coach, Jerry Olsavsky, to four-time Pro Bowl and two-time All-Pro Joey Porter.

To read the full article, click HERE

• Every now and then a local product, often an undrafted rookie free agent, gets a shot with his hometown team. Steelers fans should be rooting for this kid…

Aliquippa’s Dravon Askew-Henry on signing with Steelers: ‘This is my home’

By: Chris Adamski, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Undrafted players and their agents often talk about the frenzied minutes and hours after an NFL Draft’s completion when a quick decision with major life ramifications needs to be made in short order.

Aliquippa’s Dravon Askew-Henry didn’t see it as having to make any decision at all after seven rounds were completed late last month without his name being called.

“I already knew what I wanted to do,” Askew-Henry said Friday. “If I was undrafted, I already knew where I wanted to go.

“This is my home.”

“Home” for Askew-Henry is the greater Pittsburgh area. So after he set a West Virginia record for most games started (51), Askew-Henry signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

To read the full article, click HERE

• A life without regret is a good life, and Justin Layne has no regrets about switching from a wide receiver to a cornerback when he attended Michigan State.

No regrets for Justin Layne about switching positions

By: Joe Rutter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

When he arrived at Michigan State in 2016, Justin Layne was hoping to follow in the footsteps of Andre Rison and Plaxico Burress – Spartans wide receivers who became NFL stars.

Before his freshman season was over, that dream was dashed.

Layne was playing cornerback.

“I wasn’t in favor of it at first, but it worked out, so I’m in favor of it now,” Layne said Friday after the first day of rookie minicamp for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

To read the full article, click HERE

• Social Media Madness