LATROBE - The Pittsburgh Steelers may not have their top three wide receivers from a year ago in Monday night's exhibition game against the Eagles. They're hoping a very tall receiver can make up the difference.

In most recent seasons, the tight end has mostly been a third tackle for Pittsburgh in what traditionally is the NFL's most run-driven offense. Even after using a first-round pick on tight end Mark Bruener in 1995, the Steelers rarely threw to a player who caught only 27 passes in his final three seasons with them from 2001-03.

Heath Miller figures to catch more passes than that this season as the Steelers reincorporate his position into a passing game in which tight ends made only 7 percent of their receptions last season.

Not even two weeks into training camp, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is starting to find the 6-foot-5 Miller over the middle. To Roethlisberger, that's the one benefit of not being with his two starting receivers from last season, Hines Ward (contract holdout) and Plaxico Burress (signed with Giants).

With neither of them around, and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El (sprained ankle) missing practice time this week, Roethlisberger is developing continuity with Miller and wide receiver Cedrick Wilson, who played with the 49ers last season.

All Miller knows is that he's on the field a lot, or exactly where he wanted to be.

"I'm just trying to learn the plays and be in the right place at the right time," he said.

Normally, Pittsburgh isn't the right place for any tight end who wants to catch the ball. Last year's starter, Jerame Tuman, caught nine passes during the season, though three were for touchdowns.

Tuman is not yet willing to concede his starting job, though it is apparent the Steelers didn't draft the 255-pound Miller to sit him. Now, the challenge is to find ways to get the ball to one of the most prolific tight ends ever in college football - Miller made 144 catches for 1,703 yards and 20 touchdowns during his career at Virginia.

For most Steelers tight ends, that's about a decade's worth of work.

"They talk about us not throwing to the tight end, but we try to utilize what we have," coach Bill Cowher said. "When we had Eric Green here, we tried to utilize him."

Green made 75 catches, 13 for touchdowns, in his first two Steelers seasons which, coincidentally, were Chuck Noll's last two as coach in 1990-91. But the most catches Green ever made during his five seasons in Pittsburgh, 63 in 1993, came under Cowher.

Despite having a reputation for being a tight end more interested in the throwing game than throwing blocks, Miller has stood out at times during training camp. He easily shed Pro Bowl linebacker Joey Porter during one matchup. He beat linebacker James Harrison during another drill, and Harrison began shouting in his face after winning the rematch.

Harrison's outburst signaled he considered it an accomplishment to beat a player with the tight end's ability.

"It didn't bother me," Miller said of Harrison's yelling. "We talked about it afterward ... and we're all out here competing and trying to make each other better. After it's all over, we're still a team."

And, at least this season, it's a team that recognizes tight ends are eligible receivers on passing plays.

When offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt was asked last weekend why a throw to the tight end wasn't included in a goal-line drill, he promised it is in the playbook.

"It's coming," he said. "Just give me a little chance, it's coming."