Steelers Troy Polamalu Will Attend First OTAs

Pittsburgh Steelers star safety Troy Polamalu has two options at this time of the year: he can either participate in the Steelers first OTA session or train in California. Last year, Polamalu decided to join the Steelers for the first OTAs, and it sounds like he is going to do the same this year. According to a source close to Dave Bryan of Steelers Depot, Polamalu will attend the Steelers first OTAs of the offseason when they begin on Tuesday.

The key for the Steelers is the health of Troy Polamalu next season, as he was limited to just seven games last season due to injuries. In those seven games, Polamalu recorded 34 tackles, a sack, a pick, and a total of three passes defended. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau stated early in the offseason that he thinks Polamalu will continue to play at a high level for “several more years”. That is right on point, as long as Polamalu can stay healthy, because there is no denying the 32-year-old’s ability. He isn’t what he used to be and will continue to decline, but his issues last season were due to leg injuries; he’s still a great player and one of the league’s elite safeties.

Polamalu is under contract until 2014, but I’m sure he is under contract in the ‘Burgh until he decides to call it quits. If he does end up getting usurped by 2013 NFL Draft pick Shamarko Thomas, then both players will simply switch roles, in my opinion. I feel like there is always a place for Polamalu with the Steelers, and it is great to see that he will once again get an early start on offseason workouts and continue to build chemistry with the new faces on the Steelers (like Thomas).