You might have noticed that Pittsburgh Steelers star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has been getting some extra rest through the first two weeks of training camp. Fitzpatrick is arguably the second-best defensive player on the roster so when he's on the sidelines on a bike, people will worry.

After Sunday practice, Fitzpatrick addressed his absences and said that he is healthy and this is simply extra rest due to his age. Fitzpatrick also gave the impression the downtime was imposed by head coach Mike Tomlin and not his idea. Fitzpatrick said Tomlin was saving himself from himself by lessening the training camp workload.

Fitzpatrick's absence has been an opportunity for other players like Damontae Kazee and Ryan Watts to get those all-important reps. The Steelers take on the Houston Texans on Friday in their first preseason game of the year.

It is doubtful we will see Fitzpatrick or any of the other top starters in the lineup on Friday.

This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick on extra training camp rest: 'Just year 7, got a lot of miles'