PITTSBURGH — Diontae Spencer’s competition largely consists of rookies and other, widely inexperienced receivers.

They’re scrapping toward what would be some of the final spots on the 53-man roster in September. Pittsburgh’s receiving room is typically full of players with NFL experience, this season with Donte Moncrief, Eli Rogers, Ryan Switzer and James Washington behind JuJu Smith-Schuster. The team drafted Diontae Johnson in the third round this year.

As Spencer fights for snaps with those players and – more directly – other roster hopefuls, plenty will struggle to close the NFL speed deficit. It’s an annual problem, particularly for rookies. But in just his second offseason camp in the league Spencer has slowed the game down for himself. He gives credit, he said, to Canada.

“I’m able to play faster without thinking as much,” Spencer said. "Just kearnig that whole system up there has kind of made this whole jump pretty much easier for me. So just the whole speed of the game, it’s different.

"Something you got to get accustomed to, but I think I’m doing fine.”

Spencer’s first stints in the NFL were brief. He spent all of a week on the Chicago Bears’ offseason roster when he entered the league as an undrafted rookie free agent from McNeese State in 2014. The then-St. Louis Rams picked him up at the end of May, then cut him in July, spurring a four-year career in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Despite an all-star season with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2017, the Baltimore Ravens declined to sign Spencer last offseason. A second all-star campaign ended in the Grey Cup. And while Spencer has rotated heavily with the Steelers’ top receivers, he knows that if he’s going to avoid returning to Canada, he’ll have to make it in Pittsburgh as a returner.

“That’s a big part of what I do, fielding punts, kickoff returns and stuff like that," Spencer said. "I’m on that every day. [Special teams coordinator] Danny [Smith] is always praising playmakers back there, you know that’s what I’m here to do. I’m always on the JUGS, we start that before practice.

“That’s going to be a big part of me sticking to this team so that’s something I take pride in.”

Spencer is joined in return work by fellow receivers and defensive backs who’ve taken the ball back before.

The Steelers began organized team activities with Spencer practicing as an outside receiver. They already knew he could play the slot.

And while that slight change of position came with some adjustment to press coverage, among other aspects, the wide-open experience of the CFL helped him there, too. Spencer went on to share the field with first-choice wideout Smith-Schuster.

Said Spencer: “I mean, it’s one of those things where, the more you know the better.”