The Steelers didn’t need long to find their first training camp buzz name. One day into on-field work, wide receiver Brandon Smith had already forced his way into the conversation.
Smith arrived at camp as a third-year pass-catcher trying to compete for attention in a crowded receiver room, but he wasted no time turning heads. The Iowa product is listed at 6'2" and 215 pounds, and he doesn’t exactly jump off the page as a freak athlete. His footwork also looked a little shaky during individual drills, and he didn’t flash the cleanest technical polish early on.
Once the team moved into more game-like work, though, Smith looked like a different player. He moved smoothly through his routes and showed off excellent hands.
In the Steelers’ first 7-on-7 period, he was targeted twice right away and came down with both catches in impressive fashion. He kept that level going the rest of the session and was clearly the best receiver on the field that day.
That kind of rise is familiar in camp. Last year, undrafted free agents Roc Taylor and Max Hurleman earned that “darling” label, with Hurleman’s backflips nearly helping him stick on the 53-man roster. Taylor didn’t make the final cut, but his size and speed gave him a real look throughout camp.
Smith has now taken over that spotlight, even if the path beyond camp still looks cramped. DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., Germie Bernard and Roman Wilson are described as absolute locks for the roster, while special teams options Kaden Wetjen and Ben Skowronek are the most likely candidates to fill out the fifth and sixth receiver spots.
That leaves Smith with very little room to break through. Still, if he keeps stacking days like the first one, he’ll make it hard for the Steelers to ignore him. His separation and reliable hands give him a real case to stay in the mix, and for now, he’s the new training camp name everyone is watching.
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Steelers Just Lost A Quarterback Safety Net Behind Aaron Rodgers
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Now that option is off the board, and the Steelers are left sorting through a depth chart that still includes Rudolph, Will Howard and Drew Allar behind Rodgers. Rudolph remains the only other quarterback on the roster with game experience, which makes the next roster decision more important than it might have seemed a week ago, especially if the team wants a more proven hand waiting in the wings during cutdown season. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Camp Decision Is Raising Eyebrows For One Frustrating Reason
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For a team that prides itself on physical defense, the choice is drawing attention because the problem it is trying to solve is one that usually gets addressed best in live action. Pittsburgh will get plenty of work on technique, but the real question is whether those reps can translate once the pads come on and the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Camp Already Has Fans Watching One Situation Very Closely
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There is a broader backdrop to all of it, too, with the Steelers limiting tackling in camp and trying to manage bodies carefully while the competition ramps up. Aaron Rodgers has also become part of the daily camp conversation, rooming with D.K. Metcalf as the new-look offense takes form, while Kents path looks especially difficult from a roster standpoint. For a team trying to balance health, evaluation, and urgency, the status of the secondary is one of the first things worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]