PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are heading into training camp with the same kind of lofty expectations that always hang over this franchise. In the first season of the Mike McCarthy era, the mission is still the same: win a Super Bowl.
There’s plenty of optimism around the team as camp approaches in a few weeks, but not everyone is riding that wave. A handful of players are leaving the offseason with more pressure on them than they had when it started, and a few names stand out as the biggest losers of the summer.
The clearest concern remains at off-ball linebacker. That issue has been hanging around since the 2025 season ended, and the Steelers didn’t do much to change the picture before 2026. It’s been flagged by outlets such as Bleacher Report, and former Steelers safety Ryan Clark recently echoed the same concern on the Mina Kimes Show.
That scrutiny has only added to the uncertainty around Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson. Both are central pieces of the roster, but their 2025 play was described as borderline mediocre. In the new system, they’ll need to be a lot better, and for now they’re firmly in prove-it territory.
Pat Freiermuth is another player facing a tougher road than he probably expected. The Steelers want their offense to get a lift under McCarthy, and the tight end group is part of that plan. Freiermuth and Darnell Washington are both expected to matter, but Washington’s four-year contract extension this offseason changes the outlook.
That deal doesn’t exactly help Freiermuth’s standing as the team’s top pass-catching tight end. The organization clearly has a future in mind for the bigger tight end, and that leaves Freiermuth with a make-or-break season ahead.
If he gets back to the 600-to-700-yard production he had earlier in his career, he could be a major piece of a dangerous offense. If not, his contract is going to look heavy on the salary cap.
Nick Herbig’s huge extension also put the spotlight back on the outside linebacker picture, and that brings T.J. Watt into the conversation. Watt dealt with an injury-filled season, and the talk around him has shifted in a way that would have seemed unthinkable not long ago.
He’s gone from being viewed as the NFL’s top defender to a player some are now calling past his prime and overpaid. For one of the best players of the last decade, even a little doubt feels like a major step backward. The question now is whether Watt can turn back the clock and get back to elite form in 2026.
In Other News...
Steelers Fans Have Every Reason To Doubt This Offensive Reset
Jon Grudens memories of Mike McCarthy go back to their University of Pittsburgh days, when the future coach was already around every part of practice and showing the kind of work habits that stuck with people. Gruden pointed to that Pitt background as a clue to how McCarthy has always operated, with an early reputation for being willing to do the unglamorous work and stay involved in the details.
For Steelers fans, that history matters because this latest offensive reset is going to be judged on more than scheme talk. McCarthy now has to convince a restless fan base that he can build something functional around Aaron Rodgers and the teams playmakers, and the only way to do that is by earning trust the old-fashioned way, through accountability and visible effort. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Face A Bigger Question About Will Howard
Will Howards standing in Pittsburgh is drawing more attention than a sixth-round quarterback usually does this early in camp. Ray Fittipaldo pushed back on the idea that the Steelers could turn him into meaningful draft capital, pointing out that Howard has not played in a preseason game and that his profile is still the kind teams usually have to build on, not cash in on. Behind Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers are still sorting out the depth chart, and Howard remains part of that conversation rather than a finished product.
Mike McCarthys approach has only added to the intrigue, because the head coach has looked invested in Howards development since January and does not seem inclined to treat him like a throw-in. That is why the trade-bait chatter feels a little premature, even if Howards value will ultimately hinge on what he shows in training camp. For now, the bigger question is not whether Pittsburgh is ready to move him, but whether he can do enough to make the Steelers think twice about ever entertaining the idea. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Freiermuth Has Become A Steelers Problem They Can't Ignore
Pat Freiermuth is heading into 2026 with the kind of pressure that tends to follow a disappointing season and a contract that no longer feels as secure as it once did. After a rough 2025 in which his production dipped well below what the Steelers need from a tight end, the margin for error is shrinking fast, especially with Aaron Rodgers expected to steer a more pass-heavy offense.
Pittsburgh also has more reasons than ever to demand a turnaround. The addition of Darnell Washington gives the Steelers another option at the position and adds another layer to the conversation about how much value Freiermuth can still provide, both as a receiver and as part of the offense's overall balance. If he is going to quiet the noise, he will need to look much more like the dependable pass-catching tight end the Steelers paid for. [Read more 🡒]