Fans expecting big things from Steelers strong safety Sean Davis in his second NFL season should know he is in total agreement with that projection.
After an initial season in which he finished fourth in tackles and was named the team's rookie of the year, Davis isn't ready to rest on his laurels.
“I feel like a whole new player,” Davis said Thursday after the Steelers' third organized team activity of the spring. “My confidence is up. I know the game. I know the assignments and I know what everyone else is doing.
“I should play a lot faster, and last year should be the worst I'll ever play.”
Most young NFL defensive backs would take the kind of season Davis thinks will be his career worst. In 2016, he began as the starting slot cornerback. Then, after being moved back to his natural position, he started the final seven games — all wins — and all three playoff games.
He had 59 solo tackles (69 overall) in the regular season, trailing just Lawrence Timmons, Ryan Shazier and Mike Mitchell. He totaled 1 1⁄2 sacks, one interception, five passes defensed and a fumble recovery. It was good enough for Davis to beat out cornerback Artie Burns and nose tackle Javon Hargrave to win the Joe Greene Great Performance Award, given annually to the Steelers' top rookie.
Davis' first year, however, wasn't without its low points. After becoming the first Steelers rookie to start a season opener at defensive back since Chad Scott in 1997, Davis was benched early in the season so he could focus on his natural position in practice.
He also committed a 15-yard facemask penalty late against the Dallas Cowboys that led to the winning touchdown and a fourth consecutive loss. But Davis was inserted into the starting lineup the next week against Cleveland and stayed there the rest of the season.
“I want to continue to elevate my game and study and be a leader on defense,” Davis said. “Line up, make calls, play as fast as I can and have the defense play as fast as we can.”
Despite an ESPN report that Davis had offseason shoulder surgery, he has participated in OTAs this week. Davis would neither confirm nor deny the report other than to say, “I'm capable of doing everything.”
Davis believes Burns and Hargrave are capable of making a similar leap in their second seasons. Burns started the final nine regular- season games and had three interceptions. Hargrave started 13 games and had a sack of Tom Brady in the first quarter of the AFC championship game.
“Last year being the worst I should play, I feel we all think that same way,” Davis said. “We're very competitive within our class, especially with us three being starters. We talk all the time about how we are ready to take off, and that was a building block year.”
Davis said he has grown more comfortable playing alongside veteran free safety Mike Mitchell.
Content with Davis' development, the Steelers ignored the position in free agency and the draft. Barring injury or unforeseen roster developments, the Steelers should open the season with Davis and Mitchell as starters, with Robert Golden and Jordan Dangerfield as backups.
“I can't get complacent, I know that,” Davis said. “I know somebody is coming after my job, same thing I did last year.”
Joe Rutter is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at jrutter@tribweb.com or via Twitter @tribjoerutter.
