Football season is just around the corner. The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to arrive for training camp this week at Saint Vincent College, with their first practice taking place on Thursday, July 24th. This offseason has been nothing short of eventful, one that started with them making a splash trade for DK Metcalf and promptly inking him to a lucrative extension that will keep him in the black and gold throughout his prime. They followed that up by taking some uncharacteristic risks on some aging veterans, and time will tell if those dart throws prove worth it.
This team is going to look much, much different this fall, and that could be a good thing. As they say, competition brings out the best in athletes, and there are certainly a handful of positional battles that are definitely worth keeping an eye on over the next month or so. While some veterans are fighting for their spots on the 53-man roster, other players are jockeying for playing time. The defense feels much more set in stone, but important questions remain on the flip side. Today, we'll analyze a handful of the most intriguing clashes to determine their rank on the depth chart.
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III during a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 21, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Steelers wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni has already publicly proclaimed Calvin Austin III as the squad's WR2 after a breakout season in which he amassed 548 yards and four touchdowns, but what will his usage look like in 2025? 62% of his snaps last season came in the slot, and given his lack of size that prohibits his effectiveness as a blocker, other vet options like Robert Woods and Ben Skowronek could factor into the rotation on early downs. Roman Wilson , the franchise's third-round pick a year ago, is the ultimate wild card in this equation after missing virtually all of his rookie campaign. Unless Pittsburgh is able to acquire another playmaker before the regular season, Arthur Smith will have to get really creative to make all the puzzle pieces fit. On the bright side, at least they're in a slightly better spot this time around.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols at minicamp on June 11, 2025,. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
The Steelers made a bold move by trading for Jalen Ramsey , but in doing so, they acquired one of the most physical and versatile defensive backs in the entire league. He's still got enough juice to play along the boundary, but the real appeal comes from moving him around as a weapon of mass destruction. Juan Thornhill figures to be the biggest benefactor of Pittsburgh's decision to give up on Minkah Fitzpatrick following a down season for his standards. Still, this is a defense that deployed dime personnel on over 12% of their snaps last season, leaving questions about who will act as the sixth man in those pass-down-only packages. Beanie Bishop had an opportunistic rookie season, Brandin Eichols is an impressive linear athlete, and Cory Trice has the size to match up with bigger body types. All three of those men have solid odds to make the final roster, but only one of them will be able to carve out a notable role on defense. It'll be fascinating to find out who prevails.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren at OTAs on May 28, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Jaylen Warren has been one of the organization's premium finds in undrafted free agency over the last decade. In his second year with the club, the Oklahoma State product registered 3.64 yards after contact per attempt, the third-best mark in the league among backs with at least 100 carries. But after struggling to stay healthy last year and the fact that he averaged just over eight attempts per game in that time frame, it's fair to question whether he's truly best suited for a bell cow role without Najee Harris in the fold. That's where Kaleb Johnson enters the equation. During his tenure at Iowa, he ran amok in an outside zone-centric system, which made him such a logical target during the draft process. Ideally, he's the future, but before that baton can be passed from vet to rookie, the third-rounder will have to prove to the coaching staff that he's dialed in on his pass protection responsibilities. Knowing Smith's run-heavy tendencies as a play caller, both guys will get plenty of chances to make plays.
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Connor Heyward at OTAs on June 5, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Football is cyclical, and the run game is back en vogue, and while the fullback position isn't a necessity, it might behoove the Steelers to invest in someone that can at least moonlight in that role through 2025. Last year, Pittsburgh experimented with the idea of trying Connor Heyward there, but his struggles as a blocker continued to be apparent. For a few reasons, DJ Thomas-Jones is an early favorite to be one of the fan base's preseason heroes this go-round. After transferring to South Alabama, the 6-foot-2, 256-pound specimen wore multiple hats, but his film shows key examples of him being able to deliver impact blocks on linebackers and defensive backs to clear a runway for his tailback. He's not necessarily a gifted pass catcher, but Pittsburgh has multiple tight ends that can easily pick up the slack in that area. At his previous stops, Smith utilized fullbacks Khari Blasingame and Keith Smith to help elevate the run game in certain situations. We'll see if someone sticks out enough to force the team's hand come time for roster cutdowns.
Pittsburgh Steelers punter Corliss Waitman during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 1, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Pittsburgh was desperately searching for a permanent solution to their punting woes, which led them to sign Cameron Johnston to a top-ten salary, but he unfortunately suffered a torn ACL in the season opener. That forced the Steelers to call up a familiar face. In his second act donning a Steelers uniform, Corliss Waitman performed admirably, averaging 41.4 net yards per punt, matching the league average last season. Johnston's big leg and lengthy professional track record are going to be hard to compete with, but it would only behoove the team to make this a legitimate competition. The best-case scenario is that both guys show out, opening up the possibility of them being able to recoup a day three pick swap in return for the odd man out. That's wishful thinking, but not outside the realm of possibility by any means.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Bell: Five Battles Worth Watching Entering Steelers Training Camp
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