LATROBE, Pa. - Ten days into training camp, the Pittsburgh Steelers still list Jerome Bettis ahead of free-agent acquisition Duce Staley on the depth chart at running back. The buzz is that both will alternate, and that's all right with Staley.

The Steelers did pay Staley $4 million in free-agent bonus money last March to bolster the 31st-ranked rushing attack in the league. And they drastically reduced Bettis' salary instead of releasing him. But the numbers aren't adding up to first-team status for Staley.

"What you guys have to understand," Bettis said, "is this not going to be a competitive situation. We both are going to have to play. A lot of teams have done a two-back rotation. It's nothing new."

In fact, Staley's old team, the Philadelphia Eagles, used one last season.

"No. They had a three-back rotation," Staley said. "You didn't count right."

Mentioning the Philadelphia Eagles, particularly last season, is an easy way to sour Staley's mood.

"I don't even want to talk about that," he said. "I'm in Pittsburgh now and I'm happy."

After being named the Eagles Offensive MVP in 2002, Staley held out of the following training camp and promptly found a place in Coach Andy Reid's doghouse.

In a three-back rotation, Staley rushed for only 463 yards during the 2003 regular season, but proved he had something left by coming on strong in the playoffs.

Staley rushed for a career playoff-high 79 yards in the loss to Carolina in the NFC Championship Game. In two playoff games, Staley gained 124 yards at an average of 6.9 yards per carry.

Not that the Eagles cared. They were set to carry on with Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter and allowed Staley, 29, to move across the state to take a spot alongside the 32-year-old Bettis, who rushed for 811 yards last season.

Staley and Bettis' combined 1,274 yards last season are one more yard than Staley's career-high in 1999. For the Steelers to return to the playoffs, their combined total will need to be much higher this season - and that's first-year offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt's intention.

The Steelers' theme this camp has been to become more physical, and Whisenhunt has called nothing but running plays in goal-line drills. He's also leaned heavily on the 9-on-7 drills in which the 7-man Steelers offense attempts to find running room against a 9-man defense.

The offense hasn't scored in any of the goal-line drills, but has found success in the 9-on-7 drills.

"You look at the 9-on-7 tapes and guys are blasting holes against the same guys," said Bettis. "That's the positive side of it. We've been very, very good in 9-on-7."

"I guess fans and reporters don't take that drill seriously," said Staley. "When goal-line comes, everybody's around. The crowd's in it, and the defense has been doing a heck of a job. But there's more to our practices than goal-line."

On his first day of training camp with the Steelers, Staley lauded the aggressive nature of the Steelers and their coaching staff. He hasn't seen anything change in the last 10 days.

"Like any offense in the NFL at this time, we've got a lot of work to do," he said. "But I like what I see from our linemen. They're stepping up. They're matching the defense's intensity."