With the preseason about to put every fringe roster spot under the microscope, the Steelers’ bubble players are running out of time to make their case. Training camp has already separated some names from the pack, and now the next stage brings the best kind of pressure: live snaps, live contact and one more chance to prove they belong on the 53-man roster.
A few players have already turned that pressure into momentum.
Roman Wilson is one of them. He may not be headed for a Pro Bowl season, but he has looked more at ease this year and has found ways to make plays at training camp.
Aaron Rodgers also does not seem to be avoiding him. Wilson is in a make-or-break year, and the early signs suggest he can deliver a positive result.
Asante Samuel Jr. has been even more eye-catching. If there were an early MVP for Steelers training camp, he would be in the conversation.
Joey Porter Jr. going down with an injury opened the door, and Samuel took advantage. He has played well with the extra snaps and appears to be pushing for a larger role on defense.
He is expected to provide depth, but he has the look of someone who could surprise people this season.
Robert Tonyan has also helped himself. His connection to Aaron Rodgers matters, and it gives him a real edge in a tight battle for tight end depth.
Pittsburgh needs proven bodies at that position, and Tonyan fits that description. He is not going to overwhelm anyone at this stage of his career, but he has put together a solid camp and can strengthen his case with a productive preseason.
Robert Spears-Jennings has been another quiet mover. As a seventh-round pick, he came in with limited expectations, but he has earned meaningful first-team snaps.
Injuries in the secondary have created openings, and Spears-Jennings has stepped into them. He still has to keep improving, but the rookie’s outlook is clearly on the rise.
Broderick Jones rounds out the group climbing fast. What started as an injury question mark has turned into a strong summer.
He has put together a solid camp, and injuries elsewhere on the offensive line could help him work his way back into the starting picture if he has a big preseason. For a player many thought might not even be healthy enough to get through camp, that is a notable turn.
Not everyone is trending up.
Eli Heidenreich came into the preseason process with some optimism, especially as a Pittsburgh native, but he has not looked like much more than a seventh-round pick. Missing a good chunk of camp only made things harder. The Steelers need him to show he can handle multiple roles on offense and contribute as a returner if he wants to escape the roster bubble.
Malik Harrison has also slid in the wrong direction. His contract already made him a questionable fit to keep around, and his summer performance has not helped.
Pittsburgh could save a nice chunk of change by moving on, and other players on the roster have simply done more. Harrison would need a huge preseason, both at linebacker and on special teams, to climb back into the picture.
Will Howard is in a different spot than some of the others, but he still has work to do. He is not as close to the edge, yet the challenge in front of him is obvious: beating out Mason Rudolph will not be easy. The Steelers would like Howard to seize the backup job, but he has a lot to prove before that becomes realistic.
Logan Lee is the last name in the fall column, and his situation looks increasingly bleak. He entered the summer on the roster bubble, and there was already a sense he could have trouble hanging on.
Missing countless practices at training camp has only deepened that concern. The sixth-round pick from two years ago now appears to be fighting an uphill battle that may end with him getting cut and moving on elsewhere.
In Other News...
Raiders Just Lost A Veteran Presence Steelers Fans Know Well
Elandon Roberts is headed back to Pittsburgh on a one-year deal, bringing a familiar presence to a defense that already knows what it gets from him. After spending the 2025 season with the Raiders, the veteran linebacker is set to return to the Steelers for 2026, giving the unit another seasoned option in the middle of things.
Roberts has long been valued for the kind of physical, no-nonsense play that travels well from season to season, and that fit made him a natural target for a reunion. For the Steelers, his return adds experience and edge to a defense that can always use more of both, while also taking one notable name off the list of former contributors elsewhere in the AFC. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Have A Secondary Problem They May Need To Trade For
Training camp has a way of exposing a rosters weak spots, and for Pittsburgh, the secondary is suddenly looking like one of them. Injuries have thinned the group enough that the Steelers are already being linked to outside help, with the kind of depth concerns that tend to push a front office into evaluating every available option before the preseason grind gets any deeper.
One name that has surfaced is Carrington Valentine, with Pittsburgh reportedly in contact with Green Bay about the cornerback. The Steelers are also said to have interest in Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, a sign they may be surveying multiple spots in the back end rather than waiting for the situation to sort itself out. For a defense that expects to play fast and physical, the next move in the secondary could matter a lot. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Is Shaping The Steelers In A Way Fans Will Feel
Aaron Rodgers has spent the early part of his final NFL season doing more than just getting ready to play quarterback for the Steelers. Since arriving in Pittsburgh, he has leaned into a mentorship role with younger players, taken part in team bonding activities, and joined scrimmages as the group gets acclimated to new head coach Mike McCarthy. For a team trying to blend experience with development, Rodgers brings a rsum few can match after 18 years with the Packers and two seasons with the Jets.
What makes his presence matter for Pittsburgh is not only what he can still do on the field, but how his day-to-day approach may shape the locker room around him. Rodgers is in a unique spot as a veteran at the end of a long career, and the Steelers are asking him to help set a tone younger players can carry forward. The full impact of that influence will unfold over time, but it is already clear his role in Pittsburgh is about more than just the next snap. [Read more 🡒]