The Steelers spent a long practice at St. Vincent’s College hammering away at the same area that gave them trouble in their preseason opener: special teams.
That phase drew plenty of attention from the coaching staff after a game filled with penalties and missed assignments, and the recent session made it obvious the team is treating those mistakes as a priority before the second preseason game against the New York Jets.
The work wasn’t just for specialists. Pittsburgh had veterans mixed into the drills, including Cole Holcomb, Travis Homer and Christian Kuntz, while younger players such as Riley Nowakowski, Daylen Everette and Eli Heidenreich also pushed into the conversation for first-team reps.
The common thread is versatility. Holcomb can rotate in with the middle linebackers, and Heidenreich and Homer are already getting work as backup running backs.
That setup fits the approach from head coach Mike McCarthy, who doesn’t want roster spots tied up by players who only do one thing. He wants players who can move around the depth chart when needed, which makes special teams more than just a side job in Pittsburgh.
The return work pointed to where the Steelers may be heading next. Rookie receiver Kaden Wetjen and Heidenreich got the first reps, a sign that first-year players could be the ones handling those duties.
It’s a big vote of confidence, but not a random one. Both bring the kind of athleticism and agility that can change a game on returns, and Pittsburgh appears ready to lean on that speed.
There was also room for rookie kicker Laith Marjan to keep building his case. With Chris Boswell essentially out of the picture until the regular season, Marjan has been getting a real opportunity in camp.
He made a field goal in the preseason opener and handled all the kicking work at St. Vincent’s.
That doesn’t mean the Steelers are about to hand him a roster spot. But it does mean he’s getting the kind of exposure that can matter around the league if Pittsburgh decides not to keep him.
The bigger takeaway from practice was simple: the new head coach is not letting any issue slide, whether it’s a major problem or a small one that shows up along the way.
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The Giants want to see where Harris stands before anything goes further, which makes this more than just a courtesy stop. He has to prove he is far enough along in his recovery to be considered for a roster spot, and that part of the process can matter just as much as the name recognition. If Harris clears that hurdle, he could give a backfield in need of another option a veteran presence and a familiar kind of insurance. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Fringe Roster Battle Just Got Much Harder To Ignore
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Lew Nichols, Brandon Smith and Doneiko Slaughter have all popped enough in camp and in the preseason opener to force another look, even though none entered the summer with much buzz as likely roster pieces. For a team still sorting out the final spots, that kind of performance matters, and it has made the next stretch of preseason feel a little less about filling out games and a lot more about separating names that seemed like afterthoughts a week ago. [Read more 🡒]