Going into training camp, the Pittsburgh Steelers have eyes on a lot of specific players and positions, and for very good reason. There are plenty of question marks all over this roster.
But, not all of those question marks lead to a negative conversation to be had.
With a new head coach and one more year of Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers know they're headed in a different direction after 2026. But which players will Mike McCarthy ride with for the long haul, and which youngsters might be on their way out?
We start with looking at some players the team needs to ride it out with and develop further.
Roman Wilson, WR
For those who might think Roman Wilson is done, I would argue otherwise. The Steelers' quarterback situation has not helped him much over his first two seasons, but he's also had a tougher time adjusting to the NFL.
Some players take longer than others to develop.
The one thing he has going for him, though, is that he can get open. His separation shows up on tape, and he still has all the potential in the world to be a capable WR3 in this league. For a team like Pittsburgh, which has historically done a great job developing wide receivers, Wilson is not worth throwing in the towel on just yet.
Eli Heidenreich, RB
Some seventh-round picks don't even make the roster. Others are considered dart throws or players who the team knows may never be more than a reserve. But Eli Heidenreich has all of the tools to be a productive running back in this league.
The thing about Heidenreich, though, is that he could legitimately line up in a variety of spots, not just the back field. His hands and route running are top-notch for his position. He's a hard-nosed player who finishes plays.
It might take for players like Jaylen Warren or Rico Dowdle to move on from Pittsburgh, but Heidenreich should have a role in this offense eventually.
Payton Wilson, LB
Payton Wilson is still that uber-talented linebacker the Steelers drafted in the third round two years ago. The Steelers like to take him off the field for other players like Cole Holcomb and Malik Harrison, at times, but he belongs out there more often.
Having played 64 percent of the defensive snaps last year, Wilson doesn't always see the field in certain packages because of Patrick Queen being ahead of him, and that could be more a product of Queen being the free agent signing who got the money.
Both Wilson and Queen need to improve in coverage, but Wilson should be the long-term guy here. Pittsburgh doesn't need to pay Queen again after his contract is up next spring. Developing Wilson to be the full-time linebacker for 2027 and beyond should begin with getting him on the field even more in 2026.
Logan Lee, DL
Contrary to some of the above guys, Logan Lee is, in fact, a player we can make a final assessment of. As a sixth-rounder back in 2024, he was one of those project-type players the Steelers wanted to try and see what they could get out of him.
And, two years in, his lack of strength and length are still big reasons why he still cannot get on the field.
Will Howard, QB
For months, we heard how much head coach Mike McCarthy loved Will Howard. There was a certain section of fans out there who would consider themselves to be Howard truthers, too.
But the fact is, he doesn't have all of the traits to cut it in the NFL. Now, that can be subjective to a certain extent, but I think when it comes to the question of "develop or dump," so to speak, the window has already passed.
Drew Allar is the new guy to develop, right now, and the Steelers are very likely to draft a first-round quarterback next year. At this point, Howard doesn't give you much in Pittsburgh.
Kaleb Johnson, RB
If you thought Howard had some truthers, I present to you a guy much of the fantasy community was incredibly high on, just like many Steelers fans were. Kaleb Johnson fell out of favor pretty quickly as a rookie and never quite made it out of the dog house.
Now, with Warren and Dowdle ahead of him, and the drafting of Heideneich, it would make a ton of sense for the Steelers to try to trade Johnson for whatever they can get and cut their losses.
Johnson isn't even necessarily a scheme fit with McCarthy's offense, either. He might catch on in a change of scenery, which would be good for him at this point. He's still young, sure. But I don't think his time in Pittsburgh will last much longer.
This article was originally published on www.stillcurtain.com as 3 young Steelers to stay patient with and 3 it's time to give up on .
