By Teresa Varley
Steelers.com

It was about 15 minutes after the players have cleared the field during the team's voluntary coaching sessions when Brett Keisel made his way towards the locker room after getting in a little extra workout.

Sweat was pouring off of him as summer had finally hit in Pittsburgh and the warm sun had heated things up.

But he couldn't have be happier and for good reason.

Keisel, who is entering his fifth season, will be a starter at defensive end this year after Kimo von Oelhoffen signed as a free agent with the New York Jets. It's an opportunity he has been waiting for and he enjoyed every practice, every workout, as he lines up with the first team during the recently completed coaching sessions.

"I am so excited. It's been great," said Keisel. "It's been wonderful being out there with the first team, running reps with guys that know exactly what they are doing. It's been absolutely great."

Keisel admits there is a change in the way he has approached this off-season knowing that he will be a starter. He re-signed with the team during the off-season and did so with a vote of confidence from the coaches that he can handle the job.

"I try and get my mind more focused now that I am out here with the first group," said Keisel. "I feel like I still have something to prove. The coaches trusted me to bring me into this role. I just have to make sure that I am doing my job on Sunday's and that is what I am concentrating on right now."

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Thursday was the last day of the team's off-season workouts and all of the players are happy with the way things went.

"It's been real positive for the older guys and the younger guys," said running back Willie Parker. "We are getting better at everything we do. The younger guys are learning. We are out here competing every day. It's no longer trying to figure out your assignments, we're just playing football."

For veterans and rookies alike, it's been a chance to get a good head start on training camp and start to set the groundwork for the upcoming season.

"When you come out here day after day it's a constant progression going into training camp," said linebacker Clark Haggans. "Week after week the intensity has gone up. It's been fun, a lot of talk. There has been a lot of jawing to stir up some competitiveness between the offense and defense."