For the first time since the start of the 2015 season, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be preparing for a year without one of his best friends, Maurkice Pouncey under center.

Pittsburgh had their first training camp practice on Thursday and the Steelers are making the transition from Pouncey with rookie Kendrick Green. How he works with Roethlisberger will be the key to this team’s success.

After practice on Thursday, Roethlisberger spoke to the media and when asked about Green, Big Ben was realistic in his evaluation of Green compared to Pouncey.

“You’ll never fill the shoes of Maurkice Pouncey and I don’t think Kendrick’s trying to do that, which is good,” Roethlisberger said. “Pouncey’s in a class of his own and that’s what made ‘Pounce’ so special. The relationship we had will never be duplicated.”

The Steelers have veterans B.J. Finney and J.C. Hassenauer on the roster who both play center should Green not be ready to take over the job at the start of the regular season but this is Green’s job to lose.