Gritty, gutty Scotty Miller (Photo: Barry Reeger, USA TODAY Sports)
SCOTTY MILLER, Wide Receiver
Q: How does your skill set complement Aaron Rodgers?
SM: "I think it can go great with he can do. Just being where I'm at when I'm supposed to be there. Be in the right spots. He's a very intelligent player so you have to have guys out there who are able to work with him and know what he wants you to do. It's been awesome playing with him. He's one of the greatest to ever do it. It's been a learning experience and we learn a lot from him every day."
Q: You, Roman Wilson, and Calvin Austin are running a lot of shorter horizontal routes and then use your speed. Is that an underrated part of this offense?
SM: "Yeah. Hundred percent. All three have similar skill sets, speed, quickness in and out of our cuts, so I think we've been doing a great job, and then yesterday I had a big run selling shallow and kicking back out of it. You have to make the defense expect both ways."
Q: How different is it from last year when the QBs held the ball and extended plays and Aaron gets rid of it?
SM: "Yeah, it's different. The one thing I've noticed with Aaron is his timing. If you're not ready and get your head around, the ball's going to hit you in the face. He's not going to alert you. But that's what makes him be able to fit the ball in such tight windows. It's been fun playing with him, but he's really good at extending plays. He's big on scramble drill. So he's kind of got it all."
Q: Is he a taskmaster with these little details?
SM: "Yeah, I'd say so. I played with Tom Brady as well in Tampa. They're similar in that way. You don't get to where they are without being extremely detail-oriented."
Q: You played with Arthur Smith here and in Atlanta. How does this year's offense differ? Or what excites you about this offense that might be different for you?
SM: "The cool thing about playing for Arthur is his offense is constantly evolving. He's not going to stick on one thing or one system because that's what he's done in the past. Depending on what guys he has, or what quarterback he has, he's always changing it and making it the best for us.
Q: As far as accountability from Aaron, might he say something biting in the huddle? Or is it about getting the ball from him again in the future?
SM: "A little bit of both. Obviously, building trust is a huge thing. If he doesn't trust you, he's probably not going to look your way often. He gets on us, but he's also encouraging. I think he's been a great leader in that way and we've all enjoyed the process so far."
Q: You mentioned Brady. When you played with him, he was about the same age as Aaron. What allowed him to persevere as an older QB and what will work for Aaron in that way?
SM: "With Tom, it was just his approach to the game and kind of how he brought the best out of whoever he was playing with. I see a lot of similarities in Aaron. He's just going to bring the best out of each and every one of us, and if you're not ready to bring it to that level, somebody else."
Q: The Bucs with you and Brady beat Green Bay in the playoffs. Did Aaron say anything to you about it?
SM: "Yeah. I had a touchdown right before the half in that game, one of the biggest plays in my career. So it was funny, the first time I met Aaron at the facility in minicamp, he said, 'I'm still mad at you for that play.' It's been fun kind of seeing his perspective on that game, on that play."
Q: What else has he said to you about that play?
SM: "It was just interesting seeing their call, the defense they had out there on the field, because it was an interesting situation with nine seconds left in the half. It was fun me telling him our mindset, because I didn't know if I would get out of bounds or go deep, switching back and forth."
Q: Has anybody said anything to him about taking a Super Bowl from the Steelers? Has that come up?
SM: "Not yet. Not yet. But we're trying to get one this year, I'll tell you that."
Mason McCormick last season as a rookie (Photo: Stephen R. Sylvanie, USA TODAY Sports)
MASON MCCORMICK, Offensive Guard
Q: You look like you're much more confident this year. Do you feel you've improved?
MM: "Yeah, I absolutely do. I think that happens naturally going into Year 2. I don't have as much to think about; I know what I'm getting myself into. Those are big things. And I've learned so much it's become second nature. I can just go out there and execute."
Q: I saw you walking to lunch with Troy Fautanu. You're joined at the hip already.
MM: "Yeah. Me and Troy, we're together all day pretty much, me, Troy, Zach (Frazier), and then Doug (Nester). We all room together at Rooney (Hall) and it's awesome. We have a lot of fun. We spend a lot of time together and it's been awesome working with Troy."
Q: The right side of the line is three second-year players, and in my opinion it's the strength. How good can you three become? And much it helps to be comfortable with each other?
MM: "I think it's awesome. Those two play at an extremely high level. All three of us are pushing each other every day. It's such a cool dynamic. We can push each other and know that we're all in this together. They do a helluva job. It's really fun to be playing next to those two."
Q: What type of attitude does it take for them to have that kind of mindset?
MM: "You have to have just a base understanding of how you play football. Once you're in between those lines, there are no more friends. It is what it is and that's the way it is. I think our whole team has a good understanding of that. We're not friends on the field, but the second we step off and get in the locker room, obviously everybody's friendly and everybody can laugh about anything. But there's definitely an understanding when you walk between those lines."
Q: How much by degrees can this line be better? Three rookies going into their second seasons should matter a lot, shouldn't it?
MM: "I think it definitely matters. It was awesome to get experience last year. I felt like I did a good job. There were bumps along the way, but we knew as a group to keep growing and developing, and each rep it gets better."
Q: Do you hear about protecting a 41-year-old QB a lot? How often is his age thrown at you guys?
MM: "Obviously there's been a little bit of talk about it, but not a ton. It's our job to protect whoever's back there. We're excited to have Aaron back there because he does a phenomenal job. We're excited."
Fort Wayne, Indiana's Ben Skowronek (Photo: Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)
BEN SKOWRONEK, Wide Receiver
Q: What's the magic? Seventh-rounder who's sticking. What do you do to stick?
BS: "I'm just gritty and play hard."
Q: Has that been the case since you were young?
BS: "I was a late developer for sure. I was taught, raised by my parents in a great way. and then had good influences around me. Was always taught to play hard."
Q: You're from the same town in Indiana along with a couple of other former Steelers. Have you talked to Rod Woodson?
BS: "Yeah. We share the same agency, Roosevelt Barnes back in Fort Wayne. Him and Eugene Parker represented Rod for years. Eugene passed away and now Roosevelt; I grew up with his son, so he's like an uncle to me and he represents me. So we have a connection there. Then, (Rod) does Baltimore games now, but whenever I see him on the sideline and stuff I chop it up with him. And then I've helped at his camp a couple years in Fort Wayne."
Q: Rod will slide some Steelers love in there, won't he?
BS: "Yeah, he does. He does. He's a good guy."
Q: The No. 2 WR job is within your grasp. Do you sense that? Is this a more pressured camp for you?
BS: "I feel like every camp is like that. I'm a seventh-rounder so I never had anything guaranteed. This year's the first year I signed a little contract, but for the most part, man, I've gone into every camp with the mindset of being the best I can be. I don't really try to worry about depth charts. It will all sort itself out. I just worry about every day improving, getting better, and just earning my keep."
Q: What do you think gives you the edge?
BS: "Whatever the coaches think, but I play hard, I love playing special teams, I love the dirty work. I think I'm an underrated receving threat as well. So, just continue to sharpen that aspect of my game."
Q: Aren't you an underrated basketball player too?
BS: I'm a state champ basketball player. ... Back when I was playing basketball I was a little bit lighter and I was able to do 360s and stuff like that. ... That's always something I've struggled with, shooting. My basketball coach always told me to work on my jump shot, but dunking was just more fun for me."
Q: You have to be for real to win a state title in Indiana, don't you?
BS: "Yeah, we had a good team. Roosevelt's son Biggie (Caleb Swanigan) - who passed away - was a five-star recruit, All-American at Purdue, drafted in the first round. We had a couple other D-1 guys."
Q: What position did you play?
BS: "My sophomore year, I was in the starting lineup and then I was sixth man. Kind of like football. I like to defend, I like to rebound, I use a lot of my fouls, and I like to play above the rim."
Q: Trai Essex is also from Fort Wayne and won a state basketball title and then won a ring with the Steelers.
BS: "Yeah. New Haven, the Steelers, and Northwestern. That's where I started. A lot in common with Trai."