The first stretch of Steelers training camp has already started to sort out the roster battles, and a few names are separating themselves fast. Some of the early answers look pretty clear. Others have only made the picture messier.
One of the biggest changes has come on defense, where Pittsburgh is finally opening things up for its linebackers and edge rushers. The Steelers have long kept those players pinned to one side, but that isn’t the approach this year.
They’re rolling out a much wider mix of packages, letting the rushers move around and pairing off-ball linebackers in different combinations. That should create a lot more variety for the defense.
There’s also a rookie who may end up doing far more than just one job. Riley Nowakowski was drafted as a fullback, but the Steelers don’t appear interested in boxing him into that role.
Most of his work will come in the backfield, yet he could also line up as a traditional tight end and possibly even spend time in the slot. Add in what he can bring on special teams, and he’s shaping up as one of the more quietly important rookies in the group.
At the same time, not every veteran is helping his cause. Malik Harrison’s roster spot already looks shaky.
The Steelers have made it clear that Cole Holcomb, Payton Wilson, and Patrick Queen are the key pieces at linebacker, and Harrison’s special teams value hasn’t shown up in the same way this year. A week into camp, the pressure on him is real, and he could be cut before all is said and done.
There’s plenty to like in the quarterback room too, but not everyone is moving in the right direction. Drew Allar, who was expected to sit and learn for a year, is already showing why the Steelers liked him.
The arm strength is there. The natural talent is there.
His accuracy still comes and goes, but there’s enough on tape already to see something worth developing.
Will Howard, on the other hand, hasn’t gotten off to the kind of start people were hoping for. The belief was that the former sixth-round pick would open camp as the top backup, but Mason Rudolph has gotten the primary backup work instead.
Howard’s play has also been less clean than it needs to be, especially for a quarterback whose appeal is supposed to be about taking what’s available and running the offense efficiently. If that doesn’t sharpen up soon, he could slide down the depth chart in a hurry.
At receiver, Roman Wilson has put himself in the middle of the conversation. Germie Bernard drew a lot of attention from fans as a draft pick, with the expectation that he’d quickly lock down the slot role.
Instead, Wilson has looked like a real playmaker and a favorite target for whoever is under center. It’s still early, but he has a path to open the season as the team’s third receiver and keep Bernard from taking that job.
The backfield is starting to settle, too. Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle look like they’re headed toward a split workload, with Dowdle handling the heavier early-down work and Warren taking over on third downs and as the change-of-pace option. The snap count should be close, but Dowdle seems to have the edge right now.
Behind them, Travis Homer has consistently been the third back getting called on, while also serving as a core special teams player. That means someone else has to do enough to push him out. Kaleb Johnson has shown flashes and could still earn a spot, but the rest of the group hasn’t separated yet.
And then there’s Asante Samuel Jr., who has been one of the clearest standouts of camp so far. After recovering from injury last year, he looks like he’s back to his old self.
He’s been everywhere on defense and has brought a dynamic presence to the field. He’s listed as the third cornerback for now, but the Steelers may have to get creative to get him on the field.
At the very least, he gives them some of their best cornerback depth in a while.
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