Training camp is about to sort out more than just the Steelers’ depth chart - it’s going to tell us which veterans still fit in this new version of Pittsburgh and which ones are hanging by a thread.
That’s the reality with a new coaching staff in place. A player who mattered last season doesn’t automatically carry that value into this summer, and the Steelers are headed for some hard roster calls before the cuts come down.
Malik Harrison is one of the names that stands out immediately. The case against him is simple: he costs a lot, and the production didn’t match the price tag last season. He’ll be in a real fight for a defensive role once camp opens, and if Pittsburgh finds someone better, that could be the end of the line.
Robert Tonyan is in a different kind of spot. He arrived late in the offseason and has a path to the roster, but nothing is guaranteed.
His ties to Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers could help, and there is a clear need for a veteran tight end to fill out the depth chart. Still, he has to earn that job.
If he doesn’t, the Steelers may have to find another answer.
Brandin Echols is the kind of player who could sneak onto this list as camp unfolds. On paper, a cut doesn’t feel likely right now, but the new staff could easily decide to go another way if he can’t duplicate what he did last season. He was strong as a role player on defense, yet that alone may not be enough if the Steelers’ view of him changes after all the turnover.
Kaleb Johnson is the one you can’t dismiss, even if the Steelers would rather not be talking about him this way. He brings burst as a runner, but the concern is what he offers beyond that.
If he can’t show more than just rushing ability, the new coaching staff could make life difficult for him fast. He’s running out of time to prove he belongs.
In Other News...
One Steelers Veteran Suddenly Doesn't Look Safe Anymore
Training camp is about to turn the Steelers wide receiver room into one of the more interesting battles on the roster, and Ben Skowronek is right in the middle of it. A veteran with value beyond the box score, Skowronek has long looked like the kind of player who helps a team in more than one phase, and his place in Pittsburgh has seemed relatively secure as the competition around him heats up.
But the numbers game is getting tighter, with Pittsburgh expected to keep only five or six receivers, and that leaves very little room for anyone to coast into September. Skowronek still has a case built on his versatility and his standing around the roster, yet the Steelers also have several younger options pushing for those limited spots, which makes the final evaluation more complicated than it first appeared. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Already Have A Troubling Linebacker Situation Brewing
Malik Harrison arrived in Pittsburgh with a chance to settle into a meaningful role in the middle of the defense, but his path to doing so has already become a little murky. The Steelers signed him to a two-year deal in 2025, and with the offseason moving along, the team has also brought back Cole Holcomb, creating a crowded picture at linebacker for a unit that still needs dependable answers in the middle.
Harrisons standing now looks tied to more than just his own play, because the Steelers will be watching how he fits in camp and how the depth chart sorts itself out around Holcomb. The veteran has battled serious injuries, and his health and availability could shape the entire competition, leaving Pittsburgh with a decision that may not be fully settled until the summer starts to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Wilson Faces The Steelers Question That Could Shape This Defense
Payton Wilson gave the Steelers plenty to think about in 2025, staying on the field for all 17 games and piling up 126 tackles, two sacks and an interception. Even so, his role never quite matched the production. He started only four games, a sign that Pittsburgh still viewed him more as a rotating piece than a locked-in answer at linebacker.
ESPNs read on Wilson is encouraging for the long term, pointing to the kind of athletic upside that can lead to a bigger third-year jump. For the Steelers, though, the real issue is more immediate: whether Wilson can become dependable enough to settle in alongside Patrick Queen and help stabilize a defense that needs that spot to stop being a weekly question. [Read more 🡒]