Behind the Steel Curtain
Which players will most impact the Steelers success this year? And Ryland and Ryan review Alex Highsmith’s 2024 performance
The long wait for football is nearly over, Steelers Nation. As July begins to fade into August, we find ourselves just 10 days away from the Steelers' first preseason action. Pittsburgh will face off against Jacksonville on Aug. 9, and the season opener against the Jets on Sept. 7 will be here before we know it.
In the meantime, our review of 2024 continues this week: a look at the Steelers’ pass rush with the Cal Naughton Jr. to T.J. Watt’s Ricky Bobby: Alex Highsmith. But first, we predict which players could decide the Steelers’ season.
While it’s still too early to know exactly how the Steelers roster will shake out in 2025, it’s safe to assume that the majority of the roster is currently under contract and attending training camp in Latrobe. A few players might be added after teams trim down to 53 on Aug. 26, but such additions are difficult to predict, and the core of the team is already in place.
With that in mind, it’s time for R&R’s annual predictions about which players will matter the most for the upcoming season. That’s right, we’re talking X-factors!
For this exercise, we define an “X-factor” as a player (not a coach) who will contribute significantly to the team’s success — or lack of it — for the 2025 season. As such, this player might not necessarily be a star.
For example, we all know how important T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward are to the defense. We won’t waste your time telling you something you already know. However, the players we choose must also be expected to receive enough playing time to consistently influence the outcomes of games.
We’ll also be excluding quarterbacks and Broderick Jones from our answers. We believe our readers are smart enough to know how important quarterback play is, and we also don’t think you need another article hand-wringing about the Steelers’ embattled young tackle. Those answers are too easy, and we want to give you something more entertaining to discuss. So with that, let’s dive in.
RP:
Offense — Kaleb Johnson
All offseason, you’ve been hearing that Kaleb Johnson is a perfect scheme fit for the Steelers. Now, with some training camp practices under his belt and the pads finally on, the early reviews from camp are trending positive for the rookie running back. The Steelers coaching staff has offered some praise while also hinting that they still want Johnson to earn opportunities.
I, for one, have a hard time envisioning a successful season for the offense where Johnson isn’t a significant part of it.
Of course, there are still plenty of questions about how the Steelers' run-heavy offense will mesh with Aaron Rodgers. Last year, the Steelers ran the ball at the fourth-highest rate (49.3%), while Rodgers and the Jets were fourth-highest (64.1%) in passing. Something will have to give....
