Five Pittsburgh Steelers Who Must Step Up During Training Camp

As summer rolls along, we get closer and closer to the Pittsburgh Steelers heading to Latrobe, PA, for Training Camp.

There are many exciting new faces this year, including Michael Pittman Jr., Rico Dowdle, and Jamel Dean. However, other players risk falling out of favor with the team, and Training Camp gives them one last shot to prove their worth before roster cuts.

There are five players who, based on expectations and a previous lack of results, are in desperate need of a great camp. These players have viable routes that can not only keep them on the team but also lead to a more impactful role in the future.

Ultimately, it will be on them to demonstrate the value they bring to the Steelers.

1. RB Kaleb Johnson

The hype around Kaleb Johnson coming out of his 1,500-yard season at Iowa died pretty quickly. He failed to carve out a role in the offense whose engine ran through the running game.

Now that Heyward’s gone, Johnson has a chance to take the #3 spot in the backfield, right behind the Warren-Dowdle tandem. Navy’s Eli Heidenreich will also be gunning for that spot, and his chances are pretty good with his value as a receiver.

Johnson’s best bet is to establish himself in special teams so he can be active on gamedays. As long as Johnson’s in the lineup, he could get more rushing chances.

2. WR Roman Wilson

The Roman Wilson saga of last season was interesting, to say the least.

In an offense begging for production out wide, Wilson only mustered 12 catches and two scores. He was unable to jump over Ben Skowronek and the ever-eternal Marques Valdez-Scantling in the pecking order last season.

This year, the competition is fiercer, with Pittman Jr. and rookie Germie Bernard now on the roster.

There are two routes Wilson could take if he wants to impact the offense: either cement himself as a solid understudy for either DK Metcalf or Pittman and excel in small doses, or take the WR3 spot by outperforming Bernard in camp. The latter is more ambitious but would lead to more opportunities during games.

After a horrid start to his career, Wilson needs that ambition to bounce back strongly.

3. QB Mason Rudolph

Mason Rudolph has been through a lot with the Steelers. From his turbulent 2019 sophomore season to his redemption arc at the end of 2023, Steelers fans have seen him at his highest and lowest. While having a respectable backup behind Aaron Rodgers is important, Rudolph will be 31 years old at the start of Training Camp.

Rudolph’s mobility is still a weakness, and it will not get better with age. Meanwhile, Will Howard and Drew Allar are sitting right behind him as long-term investments.

Both are as tall as Rudolph and are much more mobile. While Howard and Allar have differing strengths and weaknesses, Mike McCarthy sees potential in both players.

Rudolph needs to prove his worth or else his time might run out.

4. DE Logan Lee

Logan Lee has missed a lot of time due to injury, keeping him on the outskirts of the defensive front rotation. Cam Heyward continues to play at an All-Pro level, and Derrick Harmon is a positive force on the field when healthy. After adding the veteran Sebastian Joseph-Day, the list of available snaps gets thinner.

Lee’s health will do wonders for his chances to make the team this year, but making the team is only the first step.

He would need to show this new coaching staff glimmers of hope that will earn him more snaps. If he can claw his way into more opportunities and perform in those moments, Lee could become a valuable depth piece. Chances are slim, though, so it’s now or never for Lee.

5. LT Broderick Jones

Lastly, Broderick Jones. Last season was vital in determining his fate with the team. For a moment, it really looked like Jones found his footing after solid, consistent starts. But a neck injury sidelined him, paving the way for Dylan Cook to show up and earn the right to compete for the starting job this season. Max Iheanachor or Troy Fautanu could also land on the left side once the season starts.

Unfortunately, health is the biggest obstacle for Jones after the neck surgery. It could potentially limit him throughout Training Camp, maybe even landing him on the PUP list.

However, if Jones is able to practice, he needs to prove his worth as a former first-round selection and establish himself as the best tackle of the group. A tall task, but not impossible.