Steelers Now
Ladies and gentlemen, Football season is finally here, with the Pittsburgh Steelers officially arriving at Saint Vincent College for training camp. With that being the case, it feels appropriate to lay some predictions on the final 53 players that will be left standing when the regular season rolls around. Much has changed since the first iteration of this exercise took place: the Aaron Rodgers saga came to a close, the Steelers executed an ultra-rare player-for-player trade, and Pittsburgh made T.J. Watt the highest-paid non-quarterback in the sport for the second time in his illustrious career.
Now, all the focus is on football. Who stays? Who goes? This is my best guess as things stand today. Here we go!
Quarterbacks (3): Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard
Analysis: The rookie from Ohio State will be battling with Skylar Thompson for third fiddle this fall. Howard looks the part for the position and started 44 games in college in different offensive ecosystems, furthering the belief that the mental hurdle to the pros won’t be too steep.
Running Backs (3): Jaylen Warren, Kaleb Johnson, Kenneth Gainwell
Analysis***:*** The distribution of labor between Warren and Johnson will be something to monitor, but both will have sizable roles. Gainwell’s experience as a checkdown option and return man gives him the edge for the final spot in the rotation. DJ Thomas-Jones is an intriguing sleeper to make the cut as a hybrid fullback because of his frame and blocking potential, but he remains on the outside looking in for now.
Tight Ends (4): Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward
Analysis***:*** You can make a pretty convincing argument that this room is the deepest on this side of the ball, which meshes quite well with Arthur Smith’s offense. Heyward’s usage took a hit last season, and it’s difficult to foresee that changing in 2025. But his special teams contributions are just enough to keep his spot on the roster for now.
Wide Receivers (5): DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III, Roman Wilson, Robert Woods, Ben Skowronek
Analysis***:*** The Steelers find themselves in a familiar situation, with major questions about the complementary receivers on the roster. Perhaps they’re using camp to gauge just how much Woods has left in the tank without blocking Wilson’s path to playing time. Given the team’s win-now approach, it makes sense that General Manager Omar Khan would be aggressively pursuing all available options in order to avoid a repeat of last year’s results.
Offensive Line (9): Broderick Jones, Isaac Seumalo, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick, Troy Fautanu, Calvin Anderson, Ryan McCollum, Spencer Anderson, Dylan Cook
Analysis***:*** Pittsburgh has an older roster, with the offensive line being a major exception to that, and the youth up front provides a wide range of outcomes. The biggest news that came out of report day was that Seumalo is dealing with a soft tissue injury, and Spencer Anderson got a nice vote of confidence as his replacement in the meantime. The offensive tackle group is one that...
