LATROBE, Pa — Hines Ward didn’t appear at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ afternoon practice until he started running sprints with running back Willie Parker midway through the 2-hour workout.

Four days into camp, the four-time Pro Bowl receiver has practiced once. Ward said Tuesday he’s not injured, although he had offseason shoulder surgery.
Ward said he’s merely taking CTO — coach’s time off.
Coach Mike Tomlin is giving several experienced Steelers considerable rest early in camp following the team’s Super Bowl run, including safety Troy Polamalu and Ward. Polamalu reported to camp with a sore hamstring. Parker didn’t practice because of a shoulder problem.
“I can’t knock what coach Tomlin is doing,” Ward said. “He’s a proven coach, he’s won the Super Bowl. Yeah, it looks a little strange, me not out there and people wondering, but it’s his team.”
Tomlin’s explanation for the 33-year-old Ward’s extended summer vacation?
“Hines has money in my emotional bank account, so I take care of Hines,” said Tomlin, who had Ward sit out every midweek practice last season.
Ward, the Steelers’ career record-holder for receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches, probably doesn’t need a lot of work to get ready for his 12th season. But he needs some, if only to get back into a rhythm with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
The Steelers are relatively thin at receiver, with second-year player Limas Sweed and rookie Mike Wallace the main backups to Ward and Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes. Tomlin wants the other receivers spending lots of time with Roethlisberger and backups Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon.
“The last two or three days, we’ve gotten a majority of the playbook in and it’s a great opportunity for Limas to get in there in full pads and get some rapport with Ben and the system,” Ward said. “We are thin. If Santonio or myself goes down, we’ve got to have guys step in and play.”
With former No. 3 receiver Nate Washington now in Tennessee, the Steelers need Sweed — a second-round pick in 2008 — to take on a bigger role. Sweed looked lost in the offense at times as a rookie and caught only six passes. He also dropped an apparent touchdown catch in the AFC championship game against Baltimore.
“But from last year to this year, it’s like night and day with Limas,” Ward said. “It’s important for him to get some reps, so I’m not going to sit there and argue with the coach.”
Roethlisberger complained his arm strength was missing early in camp, but that didn’t appear to be a problem as he completed several deep passes Tuesday.
“He was throwing darts,” Ward said.
Tomlin wasn’t worried when Roethlisberger said his arm didn’t feel right.
“He’s our lead dog guy and we’re going to ask him to throw a lot of balls,” Tomlin said. “I would imagine through the initial phase (of practice), he wouldn’t feel great. He launched a couple of deep ones today and that’s what we’re expecting.”