LATROBE - The first day the pads came on at Steelers camp brought the kind of contact people were waiting to see. After all the talk about Pittsburgh skipping live tackling this year, practice five had a different feel, with the defense delivering plenty of pop and the physical edge showing up all over the field.
A few players took real advantage of that shift.
Jaquan Brisker was the biggest winner on the day. No defender seemed to gain more from the added physicality than the safety, who turned in his best practice of camp so far.
He flashed in a big way during 11-on-11 work, breaking up a pass, then later came flying off the edge on a safety blitz and had Mason Rudolph in position for what would have been a major sack if tackling were allowed. With the Steelers thin at free safety, Brisker is going to have a heavy load early in the season, and this was the kind of day that stood out.
Doneiko Slaughter also kept making noise in a crowded secondary. The 2025 undrafted free agent out of Arkansas has been one of the more interesting names in camp, and he backed that up again by staying around the ball throughout practice.
He added a pass breakup and picked off a Will Howard deep shot, continuing what has been a strong start. With Asante Samuel Jr. drawing attention at corner, Slaughter’s play is becoming harder to ignore.
If he carries this into the preseason, the Steelers may have a real numbers decision coming at cornerback.
Drew Allar added another highlight to a camp that has already produced several of them. The third-round pick has been the quarterback responsible for the most “wow” throws so far, and he delivered again with a deep ball to Cole Burgess for a 50+ yard touchdown.
Allar is still a work in progress, and Mike McCarthy has been spending more time with him and Will Howard than with the rest of the quarterbacks, but the big-play flashes keep coming. Even with low expectations for this season, Allar has given the Steelers plenty to be encouraged about.
Not everyone left practice feeling as good.
Troy Fautanu had a rough stretch at tackle. He was flagged for two false starts in 11-on-11 work, and that eventually got him pulled from the drill for a few plays.
TJ Watt also appeared to have the upper hand on him in blocking work. It’s not the kind of day that should set off alarms - Fautanu remains one of the team’s most talented young players - but it was clearly a difficult one.
Will Howard had an uneven practice as well. He did connect with Brandon Smith a few times in team periods, but his timing and accuracy were off at other points.
Howard got a late chance to finish on a high note when he led a two-minute drill at the end of practice, but the offense couldn’t get it done. The defense controlled both two-minute situations to close things out, leaving Howard without the kind of finish he needed.
As he battles veteran Mason Rudolph for the backup quarterback job, preseason play is likely to carry a lot of weight.
In Other News...
Steelers Backup Quarterback Battle Just Took An Unexpected Turn
The first preseason depth chart offered a small but notable surprise in the Steelers quarterback room, with the team opening camp by sorting out the pecking order behind Mason Rudolph. Will Howard was placed ahead of rookie Drew Allar on the initial chart, giving the younger quarterback group an early outline as Pittsburgh begins to sort through a competition that will matter once the preseason games start to carry real weight.
Even so, the chart does not necessarily tell the whole story. Allar has reportedly been the more impressive of the two in training camp, which gives this battle a different kind of intrigue as the weeks go on. Both are still developing, and with the preseason still ahead, the order could easily shift as the Steelers look for the clearest answer behind Rudolph. [Read more 🡒]
Drew Allars Viral Camp Moment Has Steelers Fans Arguing Already
Training camp has barely settled in, and rookie quarterback Drew Allar already found himself at the center of a small but very Steelers-style debate. During a passing drill designed to send the ball into one of three pockets on a net, the third-round draft pick from 2026 was the only quarterback to miss the target completely, with his throw sailing over the setup while the other passers hit their marks.
It was the kind of moment that fans and social media accounts immediately noticed, because every snap at this stage feels like part evaluation, part referendum. Allar is trying to carve out his place on the depth chart behind Aaron Rodgers, and in a camp battle like that, even a harmless drill rep can take on a life of its own. [Read more 🡒]
Mason McCormick Is Making The Steelers O-Line Even Tougher To Ignore
Mason McCormick has been one of the more interesting early stories out of Steelers training camp, building on the steady development he showed in his first two seasons and giving the line a different kind of edge. His work has stood out in one-on-one drills, where he has looked comfortable enough to make it harder for the coaching staff to ignore what he might be becoming as the summer unfolds.
There is also more riding on this camp than just another step forward. McCormick is making the move from right guard to left guard, and he is doing it while heading into a contract year, which adds a little extra urgency to every rep. If this early stretch is any indication, Pittsburgh may be looking at a player who is ready to turn promise into something much bigger. [Read more 🡒]