Behind the Steel Curtain
The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up their final practice at training camp in Latrobe earlier this week, and fortunately, this offseason, they’ve remained relatively healthy.
Cornerback Cam McCutcheon was the only player who was banged up in their 31-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the preseason opener. Hopefully that remains the case over the next few weeks.
Standout performances from the 31-25 shootout win included Quarterbacks Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, and TE Darnell Washington, who hauled in a first-quarter TD from Rudolph.
Who could stand out against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Saturday? Here are five players to keep an eye on.
Johnson is the obvious choice here, which is why I wanted to include Warren, as well. Warren is the presumptive starter, so it remains to be seen how many reps he will receive. Just about all of Steelers nation have now declared Johnson a bust after rushing for just 20 yards on 8 carries in Saturday. He also dropped a pass, which wasn’t a good look for him, given the concerns as a receiver.
I’m curious to see how the reps will be divvied up between the two, which will lead to a clear indication as to who will start out of the gate.
Echols has been a pleasant surprise this summer and could play a key role in the black and gold’s defense this season. Part of that is due to the age of Darius Slay, who rolled his ankle this past week at training camp. Jalen Ramsey isn’t exactly a spring chicken, either.
The Steelers signed the 27-year-old to a one-year deal this offseason after he spent his last two seasons with the New York Jets.
He’s been productive in limited play throughout his career. Last season, he only played on 35% of the Jets’ defensive snaps, but still recorded two interceptions and three passes deflected.
If I would have asked you a week ago if Max Hurleman was a NASCAR Driver, game show host, or Pittsburgh Steeler – you might not have known the answer. At least I didn’t. But the camp tryout has officially become a preseason star.
The 5-foot-11 undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame can play wideout, running back, and even cornerback – but he’s trying to make the team as a receiver.
His performance against the Jaguars helped, catching two passes for 29 yards and a three-yard TD that resulted in one of the coolest preseason backflips you’ll ever see.
Listen, he’s an insane long shot to make the team. But if injuries continue to pile up, you never know. Calvin Austin III has missed the last few weeks, so that’s something to monitor.
Another fairly obvious choice here, but if Thompson continues to shine, the Steelers could potentially trade him for a future draft pick. It’s practically set in stone that the three QBs entering the season on the roster will...
