The Steelers are going to start Jason Worilds at one outside linebacker spot, but will doubtless want to make sure rookie Jarvis Jones gets plenty of snaps too
As long as those snaps don’t come at the expense of the other starter, LaMarr Woodley is cool with that.
Woodley didn’t seem to care for the question about whether Jones might cut into his time.
“Part-time player? I don’t think so,” Woodley said, via Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “The only time I’ve been a part-time player is due to injuries these past two seasons. Other than that, no, I never have been.”
Woodley hasn’t been as productive in the last year and a half because of injuries, with just 4.0 sacks last year. With James Harrison gone, and two largely unknown commodities on the other side, it’s crucial that he get back to his 2008-10 form, when he had 35 sacks.
But yielding his spot to Jones for any amount of time isn’t anything Woodley seems interested in.
“It hasn’t been like that in all the years I’ve been starting [since 2008], and I don’t think it’s going to be like that any time soon, but I guess we’ll have to see on Sunday,” Woodley said. “It’s not like I’m a new player in this defense. When it’s time to go out there and play, I’m going to continue to do what I’ve always been doing, getting after the quarterbacks, doing a great job against the run. And when I’m dropping into coverage, doing good in my coverage responsibilities.
“Everybody knows what I can go out there and do.”
And coming Sunday, we’ll find out how much of it the Steelers intend for him to do.
