Camp Day 5: Timmons Still Out; Haynes on the Field

While the Steelers got a breather on Saturday as coach Mike Tomlin blew off the morning practice, things are still frustrating for No. 1 draft pick Lawrence Timmons. The linebacker, who reinjured his groin on Thursday watched morning special teams practice for 10 minutes and then walked off the field when QB’s and the o-line was dismissed. As far as playing on special teams, that is one thing that the rookie is supposed to do in his first year with the team. The problem is, he just keeps getting hurt. While at first word was the injury was minor, the more time Timmons misses, the more behind he is going to get to being to getting on the field and making some sort of impact as a rookie.

Some good news did come from Friday night’s practice at Memorial Stadium in Latrobe, and that was the return of halfback Verron Haynes. He practiced for the first time last night after the Steelers took him off the PUP. Haynes may have to fight just to make this team, but I for one think highly of him as a third-down back and backup halfback. Najeh Davenport, Kevan Barlow, and John Kuhn, who had a huge camp last year, are three guys that want carries and to be on the roster as well. If Haynes can be back to the form he was before he blew his knee out last November, the Steelers could use his toughness and ability to make some big plays on third-down.

“I wasn’t even supposed to be practicing until November,” Haynes said. “They don’t want the setbacks to occur. So right now since I’m ahead of schedule, they want to keep it that way, monitor everything. Coach talked to me: It’s a long preseason. We’re just going to monitor it day by day.”