Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery left the Steelers without a contract, leaving them right back to where they started at the position, having taken two swings and apparent misses to adding a veteran from outside to their group.

And that concerns some, including the only true veteran who practiced Monday for the first time since February.

"Looking at our wide receiving corps -- great talent, we have no experience," said Hines Ward, who officially joined his 14th training camp after coming off the physically-unable-to-perform list prompted by June thumb surgery.

It is, as Ward knows, a game of adjustments, so while the Steelers missed out on Plaxico Burress and, likely Cotchery, they have been preparing internally to solve their problems just in case. And those turn on two players: tight end Heath Miller and receiver Tyler Grisham.

Miller has set up in the backfield as a receiver more than ever, continuing an experiment that began last season. Grisham has been a favorite target of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in camp, continuing another trend from a year ago, and likely will take departed Antwaan Randle El's spot among the group of wide receivers.

Moving Miller to the backfield gives the offense more versatility and also creates more confusion for a defense.

"It's something new and exciting," said Miller, who enters his sixth season. "I'm always up for trying something different. I got exposed to it last year. I'm up for the challenge.

"It's probably more for passing situations than running situations. I think it helps with protections -- maybe when you get two backs in the backfield, it's harder for the defense to pick up on whether you're blocking [for the run], protecting [for the pass] or releasing."

Miller's teammates believe he is the most complete tight end in the league and, at 6 feet 5, can be more productive as a receiver if need be. He made the Pro Bowl after he had personal highs of 76 receptions and 789 yards in 2009. That fell off to 42 catches for 512 yards last season when the Steelers cut back on the passing game.

The new move is an indication they want to take more advantage of his catching ability.

"It's really just taking a halfback out and getting an extra receiver in," Roethlisberger said. "So I think we evolved a little bit. We did it a little bit of it last year but you're going to see a lot more of it. We have different packages. We have to get him in there, we have to use him.

"He's the best full tight end in the game. Nothing against Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates and those guys, but they're receivers playing tight end. Heath is the best because he can also block. He blocks defensive ends sometimes; we ask him to do that, and pick up blitzes. That's why he's so special, he can do whatever we want. He's an extra lineman and a receiver. I see a big year ahead for him."

Roethlisberger also loves Grisham, and that is apparent on the field. He stands just 5-11, weighs 180, has curly dirty blond hair and, while comparisons to Wes Welker are way premature, he's 2 inches taller than the Patriots receiver. Like Welker of Texas Tech, Grisham was undrafted when he finished at Clemson.

Grisham made the practice squad as a rookie in '09, then played in the final four games, catching one pass. He spent all last season on the practice squad after they signed Randle El. Randle El is gone and Grisham is ready to become more of a factor.

"Tyler Grisham [has] been around for a couple years, he's just waiting to take advantage of an opportunity," Miller said.

This is it.

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