Steelers Press Conference (May 25): James Daniels | Pittsburgh Steelers

James Daniels on Coach Pat Meyer, quarterbacks, communication and more

New offensive line coach Pat Meyer is preaching and teaching a more aggressive approach to pass blocking, one that new guard/center James Daniels appreciates.

"The way Coach Meyer teaches it, he teaches us, the inside guys to set aggressively, so set on the ball instead of backing up," Daniels explained. "When you set aggressively on the ball that gives the QB a lot more time to step up in the pocket. It can really help make things clear for the QB.

"Sometimes quarterbacks, if there's pressure in their face, they drift away, drop back too far, and that can mess up the timing with the routes and receivers. Setting aggressively will help more with helping our quarterbacks step up in the pocket."

The potential downside is an interior offensive lineman being beaten quickly and cleanly off the ball. But in certain situations that would still be something the Steelers could work around.

"If you're short-setting and a guy takes your edge and the quarterbacks at 10 yards that's a lot different than if he takes your edge and the quarterbacks at 5 yards," Daniels continued. "Because if he's at 5 yards you have the ability to run him by. At 10 yards he's right in the face of the QB.

"It really just depends on the play, who you're playing and the scheme, if you want to set super-aggressive or set a little off the ball."

The opportunity to set aggressively appealed to Daniels when he was shopping for a new NFL home as an unrestricted free agent after spending his first four seasons with the Bears.

"Coach Meyer has done this for a long time," Daniels said. "When I first met with him on my first visit, he was telling me how this has worked for him in the past (Meyer previously coached offensive lines for the Bears, Chargers and Panthers). He showed me clips, I'm a believer."

Improved communication is also on the offensive line's agenda. The better the line communicates, the more effective it will be, theoretically, against defenses that shift in response to pre-snap motion.

"When there's moving parts, when there's people in motion or there's shifts, the offensive line needs to be on the same page because the box is changing, safeties are coming in, linebackers are coming in, going out," Daniels maintained. "We just really need to be on the same page communication-wise to be able to find out where we're identifying, who's the 'Mike' (linebacker), so we're all going to the right person."

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