The Steelers are two padded practices into the second week of camp, and the early picture is already starting to take shape. Under head coach Mike McCarthy, this has been a different kind of training camp - less full-throttle physical work, more position drills and controlled intensity. When the team periods do come, they’re short, repetitive and often built around specific situations like the red zone.
It’s still far too early to lock in any judgments, but a few players have clearly separated themselves from the pack while others have had a rougher opening stretch.
Roman Wilson is one of the biggest bright spots. After missing his entire rookie season and fading into the background in 2025, he suddenly looks like a major part of the offense. He’s firmly holding down the third receiver spot and is working with the first-team group alongside DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr.
On the other side of the ball, Asante Samuel Jr. has been one of the camp’s best stories. Simply being back on an NFL field is notable enough, but he’s taken it a step further with how well he’s played in Pittsburgh.
He’s looked fast, made plays on the ball and done a strong job against top receivers. With Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey sidelined by injuries, Samuel has helped steady the cornerback room, and his play has even opened the door to a possible battle for the second starting corner spot.
Another name rising fast is the recent first-round pick, Iheanachor. He was expected to be more of a long-term project, but he’s performed like someone ready to start now.
Against the Steelers’ top edge rushers and defensive linemen, he’s looked polished and consistently won his one-on-one reps. When he’s worked with the first-team offense, he’s often been the best-looking player on the line.
Right now, he has a real case to open the regular season as the starting right tackle.
That rise has come at a cost for Dylan Cook. Cook hasn’t been bad, but Iheanachor has simply been that impressive.
At right tackle, Cook has looked less smooth and less confident than he does on the left side. There’s still time for him to bounce back, but he’s no longer sitting comfortably in the starter’s chair and now looks more like a backup option.
Not everyone has made a positive impression. JJ Galbreath, who turned heads as a rookie last season and earned a practice-squad spot, has not carried that momentum into this camp.
He’s struggled in individual work, with dropped passes and ordinary route running standing out. The physical element has also been missing, and that matters for a third tight end trying to carve out a role behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington.
At this point, it looks unlikely that Galbreath will be the answer in 2026.
Jack Sawyer entered camp as one of the more interesting players to track after a strong rookie season, but the start has been underwhelming. His pass-rush reps have been pedestrian, which is a concern after his trouble getting after the quarterback in 2025.
The matchup that has stood out most has been his repeated one-on-ones with Iheanachor, and those have gone heavily in Iheanachor’s favor. That’s the kind of battle Sawyer should be winning, and he hasn’t.
For now, that points toward a backup role rather than anything bigger this season.
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