Several Pittsburgh Steelers starters are already under the microscope after Week 1, and Sunday’s matchup with the New England Patriots gives them a fast chance to quiet the noise.
The biggest issues showed up on offense in the opener against the Falcons, and the Steelers need cleaner play there if they want to keep early-season problems from snowballing. A stronger defensive showing will help, too, but a handful of individual jobs are now very much in play if the same mistakes show up again.
Dylan Cook is one of the clearest examples. Max Iheanachor is waiting to take over his spot, and Cook’s performance against Atlanta didn’t give him much breathing room. Another shaky outing against New England could push him toward the bench sooner than expected, and if the slide continues, even his place on the roster could come into question.
Rayshawn Jenkins is in a different spot, but the pressure is just as real. He had a solid preseason, yet he still has to earn his keep every week.
His experience has kept him on the field, and while he wasn’t a liability against the Falcons, the Patriots will put the secondary to work. For a veteran in his position, adequate won’t be enough for long.
Spencer Anderson also enters Week 2 with plenty to prove. He didn’t face serious competition for the right guard job over the summer, and the hope was that he’d settle in as a dependable starter.
That didn’t happen in the opener, when the offensive line as a whole struggled. Anderson isn’t in danger of losing his roster spot, but Brock Hoffman and Gennings Dunker are there if his play doesn’t improve.
Asante Samuel Jr. lands on the list for a different reason. His role could shrink if Joey Porter Jr. is back on the field, which would mean less time for Samuel on defense.
That doesn’t erase what he’s done so far while Porter has been out negotiating his failed contract extension and dealing with a back injury. Samuel has handled the fill-in work well and shown he can be a quality player for Pittsburgh this year.
Then there’s DK Metcalf, whose Week 1 showing raised more eyebrows than it probably should have. Against Atlanta, he looked out of sorts, and the drops stood out.
The Steelers are counting on him as their top target, and they need a much bigger response against New England. If he doesn’t deliver, the temperature around Pittsburgh’s highest-paid receiver could rise fast, and the fans may not stay patient for long.
In Other News...
Steelers Mourn The Loss Of An Early 1960s Standout
Jim Bradshaw, one of the Steelers early-1960s standouts in the secondary, has died at the age of 87, according to a social media post from his family. Bradshaw spent five seasons in Pittsburgh from 1963 through 1967, appearing in 62 NFL games and carving out a role as a safety after originally arriving as a quarterback.
His path through the league reflected the kind of versatility that defined so many players of that era, with the Steelers eventually shifting him into a defensive back role. Bradshaw was traded to the Browns after the 1967 season, but he did not end up playing a game for Cleveland before being cut, closing the book on a pro career that began with Pittsburgh and left its mark on the franchises early years. [Read more 🡒]
Joey Porter Jr. Just Gave Steelers Fans A Reason To Hope
Joey Porter Jr. has started to trend in the right direction for the Steelers as they prepare for their Week 2 matchup, with his practice workload increasing after opening the week in a limited capacity. Head coach Mike McCarthy said Porter is expected to do more in practice, which at least suggests the cornerback is making progress even if his status for game day is still unsettled.
The on-field ramp-up matters because Porters situation is about more than one week of preparation. Hes in the final year of his rookie deal, and while Pittsburgh still has control beyond this season through the usual mechanisms, the contract side of things remains unresolved. For now, the Steelers can at least take some comfort in seeing one of their top young defenders moving closer to full participation. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers May Already Be Tracking A Receiver For A Bigger Need
Rutgers wide receiver KJ Duff has already landed on the Steelers radar early in the college football season, and not just in a casual way. Assistant general manager Andy Weidl was at Duffs games in consecutive weeks, a strong sign that Pittsburgh is doing more than taking an introductory look as it builds out its long-range draft board.
The interest makes sense even with the Steelers having established receivers under contract, because teams are always trying to stay ahead of future roster needs before they become urgent. Duff looks like a player worth tracking for the 2027 NFL Draft, and Pittsburghs early attention suggests the front office is already weighing whether he could fit into a later conversation if the depth chart changes. [Read more 🡒]