What to watch at Steelers training camp — other than Aaron Rodgers, of course

New York Times

3 days ago

After a noisy offseason full of QB uncertainty, splashy trades and a record-setting contract extension, the Pittsburgh Steelers begin a new journey when they report to training camp Wednesday.
General manager Omar Khan and star outside linebacker T.J. Watt avoided another messy camp 'hold in,' when the two sides agreed to terms last week on a three-year extension that runs through 2028 and includes $108 million in guaranteed money.
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With Watt under contract and a potential distraction diffused, all eyes will be on quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The 41-year-old QB only threw routes on air during mandatory minicamp. Barring another sled-pushing injury during the conditioning test (like the one Russell Wilson sustained last year), Rodgers will take his first true 11-on-11 reps in a Steelers uniform at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe on Thursday.
It will be interesting to see how mobile Rodgers looks now that he's further removed from the 2023 Achilles injury. It's also worth watching how quickly he can create chemistry with a new cast of pass catchers.
While Rodgers will be the biggest storyline during camp, believe it or not, he's not the only player on the roster. Here are some things we'll be watching in Latrobe.
When the time comes to put together the new pieces in the secondary, it's all about the opponent. To help illustrate this dynamic, consider two AFC North rivals.
Against the Bengals, it won't be hard to put the best defensive backs on the field together at the same time, because the Steelers were only in their base defense about five to seven plays a game last year against Cincinnati. Instead, they used nickel (and some dime) to counter the pass-happy offense. In subpackages, Ramsey can play in the slot, Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay can play on the outside, DeShon Elliott can play strong safety and Juan Thornhill can line up at free safety.
The more complicated conversation is when the Steelers play the Ravens. Their run-heavy offense and heavy personnel groupings forced Pittsburgh to play its base defense about 20 to 25 plays per game last year.
When the Steelers are in their base defense, will the Steelers move Ramsey at free safety and keep Slay on the outside as a way to keep their best DBs on the field together? Or will Ramsey play on the outside in the base defense to help the Steelers manage the 34-year-old Slay's workload?
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My guess is the Steelers tinker with both of these options at camp and then decide, based on opponent and performance, how they mix and match during a particular week.
Near the end of offseason workouts, wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni tried to put an end to a question that's been lingering for more than a year when he proclaimed Calvin Austin III as WR2. Austin's track-caliber speed helped him become another deep threat for Russell Wilson's moon ball last year. This season, Austin will work to use his suddenness as a route runner to mesh with Rodgers.
Throughout camp, will Austin separate himself from the pack, or will Roman Wilson have something to say about it?
Wilson's rookie season turned into what was more or less a redshirt year, when he was injured by a hip-drop tackle at the first padded practice. Just when he was beginning to get healthy, he injured his hamstring. Finally healthy, Wilson put in a lot of work this offseason to continue to refine his body.
Theoretically, Wilson could be a complementary piece for Rodgers. During his Michigan career, Wilson often feasted on slants and other in-breaking routes, while also accumulating a lot of yards after the catch. He could help unlock the middle of the field and provide the underneath threat to go along with DK Metcalf and his big-play potential. If Wilson thrives, the receiving corps will look a lot more complete than many believe.
In a sense, the Steelers' roster will be fortified by an additional first-round pick. Troy Fautanu, the 20th pick in 2024, returns after losing virtually his entire rookie season to injury. The addition is significant for a Steelers offense that wants to lean heavily upon its running game to set up play action. The ripple effect is just as impactful. With Fautanu back in the fold at right tackle, 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones can finally focus on left tackle.
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Through his first two seasons, Jones' performance has been up-and-down. Jones ran the fastest 40-yard dash (4.97) of any offensive lineman in his draft class and showed his mobility during his rookie season, especially when the Steelers pulled him or put him in space. However, he put on some bad weight ahead of his second year that robbed him of some of that mobility. He also dealt with an elbow injury during camp. Add in substandard player development and it created a sophomore slump, during which Jones allowed 11 sacks, according to PFF, the second-most in the league.
Protecting the QB is especially critical considering the quarterback. Last season, among QBs with at least 300 pass attempts, Rodgers had the NFL's worst EPA per dropback against the blitz (-0.19) and was sacked ninth-most (40). Keeping Rodgers upright and healthy starts up front and with the two first-round picks bookending the OL.
Beyond that, the growth of the offensive line will be the biggest indicator of whether the Steelers are headed in the right direction. Khan took a patient, trench-oriented approach to roster building when he used two first-round picks (Jones, Fautanu), a second (Zach Frazier) and a fourth (Mason McCormick) to upgrade the OL in his first two drafts. The philosophy was sound — and needed considering the state of the OL when Khan took over. Now it's time to start seeing that return on investment.
The Steelers established a number of trends in Smith's first season. They used 13 personnel (one back, three tight ends) more than any other team, ran the ball fourth-most and were in the top 10 in pass attempts that traveled 20-plus yards in the air (13.6 percent).
While Smith will likely continue to lean into a tight end centric offense that runs the ball a lot to set up play action, it will be interesting to see what new wrinkles the OC adds this year, especially with a new QB (Rodgers), WR1 (Metcalf), tight end (Jonnu Smith) and running back (Kaleb Johnson).
The Steelers GM furthered his wheeling-and-dealing reputation this offseason. In: Pro Bowlers Metcalf, Ramsey and Smith (including new contracts for Metcalf and Smith). Out: George Pickens and All-Pro Minkah Fitzpatrick.
After reshuffling his deck, will Khan let the cards play out or will he continue to look for upgrades? The answer may depend on how a number of players perform, especially at receiver and safety.
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If Wilson looks like a solid WR3 (and pushes for WR2 playing time), Khan may not feel pressured to add another pass catcher. Or maybe he could wait until the trade deadline to reevaluate. Similarly, if Thornhill looks like he did in Kansas City, the Steelers may feel comfortable with him as a starter (at a minimum in the nickel defense). But if he's not as consistent, maybe they consider outside options like former Colts safety Julian Blackmon.
The Steelers don't have a lot of true position battles, at least for starting roles. However, there are a number of players on the fringe who may need to have strong camps to secure their spot.
• Cordarrelle Patterson: He was once one of the NFL's most dynamic return men. However, at 33 years old last year, Patterson averaged 21.8 yards on 11 returns, the lowest of any player who returned at least eight kicks. In a crowded backfield now featuring Jaylen Warren, Johnson and Kenneth Gainwell, can Patterson keep his roster spot as a 'Joker' or could he be a 34-year-old cut candidate?
• DeMarvin Leal: A tweener body type, Leal has never found a way to carve out his niche on the defensive line. Last year, he recorded just four tackles in five games before a neck injury ended his season. Behind the three starters in the base defense — Cam Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon — the Steelers have something of a logjam of defensive linemen. They kept eight out of camp last year. Fifth-round pick Yahya Black, offseason addition Daniel Ekuale, Isaiahh Loudermilk, Dean Lowry and 2024 draft pick Logan Lee would be my guess, but that could change.
• Mark Robinson: The Steelers may have turned their inside linebacker room from a weakness into a strength over the last couple of years. Patrick Queen will be the do-everything, three-down linebacker. Payton Wilson, who played primarily in sub packages last year, likely sees his role grow in the base defense. Malik Harrison brings a physical edge as a run-stuffer in the base. So what about Cole Holcomb and Robinson? Holcomb has been working on special teams to help his chances. That could push Robinson down or off the roster. Rookie Carson Bruener is another candidate to earn a job on special teams, another reason to question Robinson's spot on the roster.
• Scotty Miller vs. Ben Skowronek: An outstanding gunner in punt coverage, Skowronek probably can claim the last receiver spot on the roster based on special teams. However, Miller's shifty route running might be a match with Rodgers. We'll see how that position battle plays out on the back half of the depth chart.
• Connor Heyward: The Steelers kept four tight ends last year. With Smith in the fold, it's easy to pencil in Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington as the top three. Even though his offensive snaps may be limited, my guess is that Heyward still makes the roster because of his familiarity with the offense and his special teams value. Two undrafted free agents will try to change that: Fullback/TE DJ Thomas-Jones and JJ Galbreath. They're two different types of players. While Galbreath is well-rounded, the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder is more of a pass-catching TE who is best deployed detached from the line of scrimmage in the slot. Meanwhile, at 6-foot-2 and 256 pounds, Thomas-Jones is a bigger-bodied blocker who is listed only at FB on the roster but can be used in other ways.
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• Beanie Bishop vs. Cory Trice Jr.: Before the Ramsey trade, Bishop looked like he had secured a starting role in the nickel. Now, his best chance to see the field could be in the dime defense with six DBs on the field together. Often, teams like to use a safety body type in that role, because they'll have just one inside linebacker on the field and need another physical player who can tackle. Trice, who is 6-foot-3 and dabbled at safety in college, fit that mold and earned much of his early playing time in dime last year. We'll see how the rotation works out in camp.
(Photo of Jalen Ramsey: Nick Cammett / Diamond Images via Getty Images)