Steelers inside the ropes: Darnell Washington vs. Nick Herbig in rookie battle of contrasting styles

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It’s not uncommon for Mike Tomlin to call for rematches during the popular ’backs on backers drills, during which a pass-rushing linebacker goes one-on-one with a running back or tight end attempting to block him.

But a best-of-three? That’s rare. That Tomlin called for a “rubber match” to punctuate Saturday’s drill shows just how much he is eager to see what a pair of his most prominent rookies can do.

Tight end Darnell Washington — a third-round pick — and fourth-round outside linebacker Nate Herbig have turned heads during a week-and-a-half of this training camp at Saint Vincent. Each has shown promise he can contribute immediately and perhaps be a significant piece of the Steelers in coming years.

Tomlin often has called on each during both days of ’backs on backers work. Saturday, he lined them up as the drill was winding down. The contrast in their body types (Washington is a mountainous 6-foot-7, 264 pounds; Herbig an undersized, quick-twitch 6-2, 240) made for an interesting battle.

Washington, though, sealed off Herbig, who couldn’t get around him to the outside, even as he angled the whole way behind the pocket — and beyond, something in which Tomlin appeared to take great satisfaction.

“Hey, run his (rear end) all the way back to the (far) line of scrimmage over there!” Tomlin said, directed at Washington. “Escort his (rear end) all the way to that (far) line of scrimmage!”

In the rematch, Herbig used a deft move to the inside, the quickness in his deke allowing for a relatively easy win.

But Tomlin wanted Round 3.

Tomlin again urged Washington to ride Herbig to the outside and complete that semicircle all the way around behind the quarterback and back to the right side of the field. That was exactly what Washington did, unofficially claiming a 2-1 “series” win.

• The highlight of team play came in the final drill of practice, when George Pickens caught a Kenny Pickett pass thrown 25 yards downfield to the back of the end zone as Pickens sprinted along the back line in seven-on-seven play. With a step on cornerback Levi Wallace, Pickens lunged to make the catch and skillfully kept his feet in bounds. Pickens got up and celebrated with a forceful spike that bounced the ball approximately 15 feet into the air over top of assembled guests lined up around the field.

• The offense scored three times among seven 2-point conversion simulations in “seven shots,” but the unit claimed a win because officials on hand called a defensive penalty during one of its stops. On that play, Allen Robinson was hindered and could not get to a ball thrown by Pickett. Pickett’s only scoring throw among his four snaps was to receiver Diontae Johnson, who’d beaten linebacker Elandon Roberts in a mismatch. Pickett’s other throws were off the mark to Pickens (who was well-guarded by Patrick Peterson) and Pat Freiermuth.

• Mitch Trubisky led the second team to two scores in three attempts: a quick curl by Calvin Austin III just beyond the goal line, and rolling out to hit Anthony McFarland, who had beaten Nick Kwiatkoski in coverage. Trubisky’s final throw was intended for Miles Boykin but knocked away by Trenton Thompson.

• As has been happening daily, while Dan Moore Jr. continues to start practice as the first-team left tackle, first-round pick Broderick Jones has been mixed in at times there while Moore shifts to the right side as veteran Chuks Okorafor rests.

• Robinson, a wily 10-year veteran, schooled fellow Penn Stater Joey Porter Jr. when he executed a quick stop 20 yards down the right sideline and caught a back-shoulder pass from Pickett. Porter, a standout rookie, was in good coverage — until the move, during which his momentum took him farther down the field and gave Robinson plenty of separation to make the catch.

• Cody White at one point made an acrobatic catch down the sidelines from Trubisky, leaping over top of James Pierre.

• Linebacker Mark Robinson wrestled away a 50/50 ball from tight end Connor Heyward on a pass 15 yards down the middle of the field. After tussling on the ground for control of the ball, Robinson emerged and threw the ball into the air as defenders pantomimed their mock machine-gun turnover celebration.

• Defensive lineman Armon Watts at one point nearly intercepted a screen pass thrown by Trubisky.

• Jonson beat Chanson Sullivan for a catch down the left sideline in 11-on-11 play, then used a stutter-step to get past Kenny Robinson, too. Tomlin liked this, shouting loud enough for all to hear, “Good run after. Good. Run. After.”

• The Steelers next are scheduled to practice 1:55 p.m. Sunday at Saint Vincent for the final session in advance of an idle day Monday.

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Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .

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