No Rain, but Noticeable Fogg at Camp

Good morning,

Remember this name: Kevin Fogg. He is an unheralded cornerback from Liberty University, the school that sent the Steelers tight end Eric Green in the first round in 1990. At least he was unheralded until the spring when people began to notice him in OTAs with the Steelers.

He has taken that to another level in this training camp.

Fogg has been one of the best corners in camp. He not only stays with the receivers, he’s aggressive and has more interceptions than any other in camp. He had another yesterday and could have had two more. He also has the lone interception in their two preseason games.

A respected coach once told me that when a veteran teams goes to training camp, most of the roster is already picked, that maybe three or four spots are up for grab. Fogg looks to be one of those grabbing a roster spot on a defense open to players such as he.

Fogg, a Raleigh, N.C. native, went undrafted in 2013 and did not sign until mid-June with the Miami Dolphins. They cut him before the season and he went football jobless until last December, when the Steelers signed him to their practice squad. They re-signed him in January and he should make the 53-man roster this time.

A high school running back, he is only 5-10, 185, but he is stout enough to come up and make tackles as well as cover.

--- Onto some stuff:

--- If you read Ray Fittipaldo’s story on Cam Thomas Thursday you probably came to the conclusion that the Steelers have one too many nose tackles and not enough defensive ends. Thomas has been primarily at nose tackle this summer after opening last season at defensive end. That makes three: Steve McLendon, Daniel McCullers and Thomas. And behind starting ends Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt there are Matt Conrath, Ethan Hermer, joe Kruger, L.T. Walton and Niko Davis.

The Steelers, though, still list Cam Thomas as a defensive end, which may not mean anything other than that is where he will play if Tuitt or Heyward is hurt.

--- Thursday’s practice was the only one in this month-long training camp at Saint Vincent College disrupted by rain. Mike Tomlin delayed the start of practice one hour and it did not rain a drop in the penultimate drills in Latrobe.

--- The most competitive position at training camp? Punter, where incumbent Brad Wing is being seriously challenged by fellow Australian native Jordan Berry. I asked former Steelers punter Josh Miller, now on The Fan Morning Show (93.7 FM) in Pittsburgh which one he liked. He said, “Who is holding?” Miller said he could always tell when he had a team made when they had him do all the holding for the kicker.

The answer is, they are splitting the holding duties. In fact, when Garrett Hartley kicked his two field goals in Jacksonville, Berry held for both. That is because the coaches scheduled Wing to hold for Hartley in the first half and Berry in the second and both field goals came in the second half.

It may be too close to call right now, but Wing has the better game stats and the edge that goes with incumbency. He has punted six times for an average of 49.5 yards, a net of 35.2 and two inside the 20. Berry has punted seven times with a 45.4 average and 34.4 net with one inside the 20.

--- A few Ask Ed questions:

--- YOU: I was just curious how you not only see the Steelers stacking up in The AFC North this year, but the rest of the division as well?

ED: I see no reason why it would be any different than last season: Steelers, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland.

--- YOU: I saw where you posted Jones has done enough to stick as the #3 quarterback. Has he done enough to move up to the #2 quarterback even if Gradkowski was healthy?

ED: Bruce Gradkowski, as long as he is healthy, should remain No. 2 this season. However, I believe Landry Jones will get another long look Sunday as the second quarterback after Ben Roethlisberger.

--- YOU: Just finished reading your chat transcript. I’m amazed at some of the questions (ex: Ben on the decline, bring Troy back, team rough on Maddox). Your patience is amazing.

ED: Just call me Job.