PITTSBURGH (AP) - Mike Tomlin is certain All-Pro guard Alan Faneca's contract situation won't become a distraction during the Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp.
Tomlin, the Steelers' first-year coach, said Thursday that won't happen because he won't let it occur.
Faneca, frustrated that the Steelers made no significant move to re-sign him, said in May this will be his final season in Pittsburgh. He plans to *
"I am focused on 2007 and very rarely do I look beyond that, to be honest," Tomlin said of Faneca's stance. "You can't take anything for granted in this business. I think everybody who is part of this needs to focus on '07 and I think that is he all he really said. So, really, I have no reaction."
The Steelers will report to camp four days earlier than they would have in the past because they play a fifth exhibition game, the Aug. 5 Hall of Fame game against New Orleans in Canton, Ohio. To take advantage of the extra practice time, Tomlin has 15 two-a-day practices scheduled, or more than twice as many as former coach Bill Cowher had last season. However, seven of the 15 are shortened practices mostly for special teams and won't involve all players.
The traditional start-of-camp conditioning drills that, under Cowher, consisted of 14 40-yard dashes will be changed, but Tomlin didn't say what would take their place.
"There will be conditioning drills, but they won't be 40s," Tomlin said.
Because of the change, the Steelers will open camp to the public for the second of their two practices on Tuesday, the first full day of camp. Under Cowher, that day was devoted to the run tests and the practice was closed.
Tomlin also hopes first-round draft pick Lawrence Timmons of Florida State will be under contract by the 4 p.m. reporting deadline Monday. Timmons goes into camp as James Harrison's backup at right outside linebacker.
"It is important," Tomlin said. "The train starts moving at 4 o'clock on Monday. It is tough to get on a moving train if you hadn't tried before. You would like to have all aboard before we take off Monday."
The Steelers reached terms Thursday with their second-round pick, outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley of Michigan, on a four-year contract. Until Woodley reached terms, no second-round NFL pick had agreed to a deal.
