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Thursday, July 26, 2001

By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Jones, Alexander secure roles as defensive starters

And on the seventh day of training camp, two positions were solidified.

If there were three starting jobs open on defense when the Steelers began training camp a week ago, only one remains.

Linebacker Mike Jones and safety Brent Alexander have firmed their grasps on two starting spots that were to be contested this summer.

Jones, an unrestricted free agent from St. Louis, moved into Earl Holmes' spot at inside linebacker as Holmes replaced departed Levon Kirkland. The Steelers drafted rookie Kendrell Bell in the second round to also play the position, but Jones remains a strong No. 1.

The same is true for Alexander at free safety. Mike Logan was signed as an unrestricted free agent from Jacksonville to challenge him.

"Brent is the starter," said defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, noting at the same time Coach Bill Cowher will have the ultimate say. "I don't want to make any bones about it. The bottom line is, that's the way we see it."

Logan will play in the slot on the team's dime passing defense, as will Deshea Townsend. The two outside cornerbacks in that defense will be Chad Scott and Dewayne Washington. Alexander and Lee Flowers will play the safeties.

"I think the secondary is as deep as it's been in a few years," Cowher said.

Jones not only will start at inside linebacker in the base defense, he will play the position in the dime defense, a job previously shared by Kirkland and Earl Holmes.

"He played the position a couple of years ago," Lewis said. "His recall has been good. His attention to detail has been fine. He's very coachable, very intelligent, very instinctive."

The Rams thought Jones, at 32, had slowed down and did not make an attempt to re-sign him. Lewis has not found that to be the case.

"One man's trash is another man's treasure," Lewis said. "We have a couple of guys on this team that other people, for one reason or another, gave up on. That's kind of the way the league is going. If he fits what we do, that's all that's important."

The starting nose tackle job is still up for grabs between second-year player Kendrick Clancy and rookie Casey Hampton.

Simply misunderstood

New coordinator Mike Mularkey cringes whenever someone mentions his "simplified" offense. He has reduced the number of option routes in the playbook, but he's added new formations and plays.

"It's simplified, but it doesn't mean we're going to be vanilla," Cowher said. "There's some thinking taking place. It's defined. The onus is going to be on them to learn all the things we're doing. We have a lot of different formations and a lot of things we're doing differently."

Quick hits

Nose tackle Kimo von Oelhoffen, who left practice Tuesday with a groin injury, did not practice yesterday. ... Tackle Wayne Gandy on the quality of the offensive line: "Maybe tops in the league." ... The Steelers took rookie center Chukky Okobi off the physically unable to perform list and he practiced for the first time yesterday. His hamstring was strained last week. ... The Steelers are still searching for a fullback and will look at one today. With Dan Kreider out, halfback Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala and tight end Matt Cushing have been practicing at fullback. ... Wide receiver Plaxico Burress avoided injury when he sailed over a 3-foot fence about 5 yards behind the end zone while trying to catch a pass in practice last night at Greensburg's Offutt Field. "I didn't see it," he said.