Training camp always has a few names that start to buzz louder once the pads come on, and the Steelers have several players who fit that mold this summer. Some are rookies trying to force their way onto the roster. Others are already in the mix, but need to turn promise into something much bigger.
Nick Herbig sits near the top of that list. He just signed a massive extension with Pittsburgh, and that kind of deal comes with real expectations.
The Steelers are counting on him to take on a larger role this season, not just in camp but throughout the year on defense. He has already shown encouraging growth as a pass rusher, but the next step is bigger than that.
Pittsburgh wants him to look like an elite edge.
Eli Heidenreich is another name to keep close tabs on. Even as a seventh-round pick, he has a chance to make a legitimate push to stay with the team.
His presence only adds more intrigue to a running back competition that already has some heat around it. Kaleb Johnson remains on the roster bubble as camp opens, and Heidenreich could make that battle even messier.
That competition may be one of the more volatile spots on the roster, and the rookie back could help stir things up. If he performs well, he gives the Steelers another option and raises the pressure on everyone else in the room.
Keeanu Benton is in a different spot, but the stakes are still clear. Contract talks are expected between Benton and the Steelers this preseason, though his price is not supposed to be outrageous at this point.
He has flashed ability, but now he has to prove more going into a contract year. The team needs to see that he has finally reached the level his talent suggests.
On the offensive side, Germie Bernard enters camp with a little more breathing room because of the number of quality receivers already on the roster. Even so, the rookie wideout should get plenty of opportunities early.
How much he contributes as a playmaker in the preseason will go a long way toward shaping his role with the team. He has the tools to make noise.
Daylen Everette may have been one of the biggest winners from OTAs and minicamp. He drew strong praise for what he showed there, and now the challenge is carrying that momentum into training camp.
Pittsburgh likes him, but the secondary is crowded with talent, so nothing will be handed to him. Everette has to earn his snaps on defense.
If he keeps trending the way he has, he could climb quickly up the depth chart.
In Other News...
T.J. Watt Is Already Feeling Mike McCarthys Steelers Shift
Mike McCarthys first training camp with the Steelers has already started to look different, and T.J. Watt is getting a firsthand feel for the changes. With Mike Tomlin gone after last season, Pittsburgh has moved into a new era under McCarthy, who has brought in a different approach on the field and in the daily work of camp.
The adjustments have included cutting live tackling from drills and rethinking how defensive players are lined up, details that matter for a unit built around Watts impact. As the Steelers turn their attention toward the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, Watt is in the middle of adapting to a coaching shift that could shape how this defense looks when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Camp Just Revealed Early Winners In A Growing Pecking Order
The Steelers used their third day of training camp for a lighter, mock game-style practice, with no pads or helmets as Mike Tomlins group shifted away from the more physical tone of the previous sessions. It was a day built more around situational work and retention than contact, a chance for the staff to see which players were absorbing the details as the pace of camp continues to rise.
Among the early standouts, rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard picked up more first-team reps, a sign his standing is beginning to grow in the room. Rookie cornerback Daylen Everette also drew praise for his work, even with some challenges along the way, and both young players are starting to show up in a camp where the next few practices should bring a tougher test. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Unknown Is Suddenly Forcing A Real Receiver Debate
Brandon Smith has already made himself part of the conversation in the first two practices of Steelers training camp, turning a Reserve/Future signing into a name worth tracking. The 27-year-old wide receiver has stacked together a few notable catches early, and for a player with time spent around multiple NFL teams and the UFL, that kind of quick attention matters in a room where every rep can shape the depth chart.
The hurdle is obvious: Pittsburghs receiver group is crowded, and Smith is no longer the kind of young flier teams stash and develop without a timetable. His path gets narrower from here, which is why special teams work could become just as important as anything he does on offense. If he is going to stick, whether on the active roster or eventually the practice squad, hell need to show he can help in more than one phase. [Read more 🡒]