Mike McCarthy knows Aaron Rodgers can speak the so-called new language he’s teaching the Pittsburgh Steelers, which dims the focus on the absence of the unsigned 42-year-old quarterback as team workouts begin.
McCarthy still sounds confident the door is nowhere near closed for Rodgers to play a second season with the Steelers and reunite with one of his previous head coaches. Rodgers played under McCarthy with the Green Bay Packers.
“I think the fact of the matter is, nothing has changed on that. I think Aaron is probably more in tune than we probably realize. I have confidence in where he would be the day if he would arrive,” McCarthy said. “We’re talking about the quarterback position. So this is a very important time for Will (Howard) and Mason (Rudolph). They split all the reps the last two days.
“I’m comfortable with where we are with (Aaron), giving him space to make the decision.”
With Rodgers working out away from the team, veterans who’ve known only the Mike Tomlin way and newcomers such as wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. are repeating reps to funnel into what McCarthy’s system will evolve into by September.
“When we arrive in August to Latrobe, it’s all football,” McCarthy said. “To be ready for that first padded practice Aug. 3.”
McCarthy said his roster profile plan matches what was already in place on the defensive line and he views the offensive line as more flexible and versatile than he first expected.
“We’re in a really good place after two-and-a-half weeks,” McCarthy said. “I think the reality of it is, we’ve created a teaching environment with a common language. Football will still be football. But the teams don’t really come together until training camp. That’s when the real football begins. Right now is just a lot of listening.”
McCarthy said he watched extensive practice tape from last season to get more familiar with the non-Rodgers options under contract with the Steelers. He sees a major leap in store for Howard, and noted tangible improvement from his first on-field workout Monday to Tuesday. He wouldn’t label the quarterback depth chart a competition by any stretch.
“We’re just trying to get him as many reps as possible,” McCarthy said of Howard. “The drill work leads into the routes on air and individual routes. We’re competing to get better.”
