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Tuesday, August 05, 2003

By Gerry Dulac, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

It was a simple training-camp moment, just another play on a hot, steamy day at St. Vincent College in Latrobe.

	Jay Riemersma is expected to be a pass-catching threat at tight end this season. (Matt Freed, Post-Gazette)

The play -- a touchdown pass from Tommy Maddox to tight end Jay Riemersma -- illustrated what the Steelers are hoping to accomplish this season.

Maddox stepped up in the pocket and threw over the middle to Riemersma, who caught the ball in the back of the end zone between cornerback Chad Scott and linebacker James Farrior.

"We're all hoping for that kind of stuff, scoring touchdowns in the red zone," Riemersma said. "If teams are playing cover-two and leaving the middle of the field open, you got to take advantage of that."

Riemersma made a living catching passes over the middle in seven National Football League seasons with the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers signed him as a free agent for that very reason -- to give them a target in the middle of the field when Hines Ward and Plaxico Burress are being double-teamed on the outside.

"In talking to some of the guys, they see a lot of cover-two and [defenses] leaving the field open and trying to take their outside guys away," Riemersma said. "That's really been my staple since I've been in the league -- trying to work the field. Hopefully that'll all come together."

Riemersma had 204 catches for 2,304 yards and 20 touchdowns the past six seasons with the Bills. By comparison, the Steelers' other three tight ends -- Mark Bruener, Jerame Tuman and Matt Cushing -- have combined for 156 catches, 1,406 yards and 18 touchdowns in that same period.

Riemersma's best season was 2001 when he caught 53 passes for 590 yards and three touchdowns. He said getting open isn't as easy as it sounds.

"You can learn it, you can acquire it, you can scheme for it, but ultimately you got to be able to do it," Riemersma said. "That's where this group of tight ends is headed. We got guys who can get open down the middle of the field. That's something they want to exploit in this offense."

Center of attention

Center Jeff Hartings, a two-time Pro Bowl alternate, had his knee swell after the morning practice and did not work in the afternoon. He was not sure if he will practice today or if he will participate in the preseason opener Saturday in Detroit.

"I had pre-planned [before camp] that if it got sore I'd be smart about it," said Hartings, who missed five games last season because of his injured knee. "More than anything, I'm trying to be cautious. That's what the coaches want me to do. I don't want to be stupid."

Backfield shift

Verron Haynes was told at the end of the 2002 season he was going to be used strictly as a halfback this year. He became convinced when the Steelers selected fullback J.T. Wall in the final round of the draft.

That has allowed Haynes to concentrate on just one position -- the one he prefers -- in training camp. And he's trying to make the most of the opportunity.

"I'm strictly a tailback and I'm feeling comfortable with it," said Haynes, a fifth-round pick in 2002. "I'm displaying a sense of urgency to get there, learning everything, picking up blitzes and everything."

Haynes was drafted as a fullback although he had played tailback at Georgia and rushed for more than over 100 yards in each of his final four games with the Bulldogs. But the coaches liked the way Haynes performed at tailback with the scout team and started working him in with the regular unit at that position.

Eventually, Haynes was being used in third-down situations with the first team. He caught only three passes for 10 yards, but he rushed 10 times for 51 yards before being sidelined by a fractured fibula Dec. 15 against Carolina.

"At the close-out meeting last year, I expressed my concerns to Coach [Bill] Cowher about getting more carries and he said that was actually what he had thought about before I got hurt," said Haynes, whose career rushing average at Georgia (5.15 yards) is second in school history behind Herschel Walker. "I came back to minicamp and they had drafted a fullback. That was good."

The Steelers are loaded at halfback with Jerome Bettis, Amos Zereoue and Chris Fuamatu-Ma'fala and it's unlikely they're going to keep four halfbacks and two fullbacks. Haynes and Fuamatu-Ma'afala can play fullback in an emergency, as can No. 4 tight end Matt Cushing.

"I'm definitely excited," Haynes said. "You get the opportunity to help contribute, you always want to take full advantage of that. You want to seize the moment."

Checking out

Guard David Costa, a second-year free agent from Ellwood City, decided to leave camp. He was replaced on the roster by guard Mike Cook (6 feet 5, 345 pounds), a first-year free agent from Boston College who was on the Arizona Cardinals practice squad in 2001. Cook did not play last year after being released by the Cardinals in training camp.

"His heart wasn't in it," Cowher said of Costa. "I always try to discourage [quitting]. If you do it once, somewhere in life you do it again. He said he wanted to move on with his life and I very much understood that."

Getting his kicks

The Steelers welcomed two punters to the roster -- Josh Miller, who returned from the physically unable to perform list; and Glenn Pakulak, who was signed after being released by Seattle. To make room for Pakulak, the team released rookie Mike Hayes, a free agent from Akron University.

Miller has not practiced since having arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right (plant) leg nearly four weeks ago. But he resumed punting two weeks ago and officially returned to practice yesterday morning.

"It's been pretty good for a few weeks now and it feels good enough to kick the ball," Miller said. "So they let me come out and take a shot. I was getting good pop on the ball -- 4.7 [seconds] on hang time and 45 to 50 yards. So I was happy with that."

Pakulak, a rookie from Kentucky, was released after the Seahawks signed Tom Rouen, who appeared in four games last season with the Steelers after Miller had shoulder surgery.

Quick slants

Running back Amos Zereoue (foot) and cornerback Chidi Iwuoma (ankle) returned to practice. ... In addition to Hartings, cornerback Hank Poteat did not practice. Also, guard Calvin Collins left the afternoon practice with a stomach virus. ... Cowher said guard Kendall Simmons, who has been diagnosed with high blood sugar, won't return to practice until next week. Cowher said the other day Simmons might return this week. ... Wide receiver Plaxico Burress made a nice one-handed catch over cornerback Dewayne Washington in the corner of the end zone in the morning practice. ... Running back Jerome Bettis was knocked to the turf after a hard hit by rookie defensive tackle David Upchurch of West Virginia. ... The Steelers practice just once at 3 p.m. today. The session is open to the public. They will practice 7 p.m. tomorrow at Offutt Field in Greensburg.