In just three days, the Pittsburgh Steelers will hit Chuck Noll Field at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe to kickstart another edition of training camp ahead of the 2023 season.
The 2023 version of the Steelers will look vastly different from the version that hit the field last summer in 2022, and for good reason. Pittsburgh went 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs and entering Year Two of the Omar Khan tenure as GM, the Steelers needed some roster changes.
The busiest offseason in Steelers history commenced rather quickly in free agency and then with the 2023 NFL Draft. In Latrobe, all eyes will be on the new additions on both sides of the football, as well as on second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett to see if he can begin to take that second-year leap.
But what about some of the more overlooked players on the roster with much to prove ? Glad you asked.
Below are my five most intriguing Steelers offensive players ahead of training camp.
1. CONNOR HEYWARD, TE
I’ve said it before this offseason, and I’ll say it again: Connor Heyward is my most intriguing player for the Steelers ahead of the 2023 season. Plain and simple, he’s a football player. He’s willing to do whatever the team asks him to do, whether that’s trying to hold his own as an in-line blocking tight end, a secondary receiving option in the passing game, or as a special teams ace flying downfield to make stops in the kicking and punting game.
Heyward was largely trying to learn on the fly at the tight end position in his rookie season while being thrown to the wolves at the pro level. To his credit, he handled the adversity well and thrived, setting up him for a potentially strong second season now that he believes he understands the game and the position more.
He might not have the dominant physical traits that are ideal at the position, but he has a strength between the ears that helps him win where others don’t. That’s incredibly valuable moving forward, especially as he continues to learn the ins and outs of the position at the pro level, carving out a true role in the Steel City offensively.
Now, entering Year Two, Heyward knows what to expect in the NFL as that TE/H-back hybrid in the Steelers offense. He has a great relationship with Pickett and certainly seems like a valuable piece within offensive coordinator Matt Canada’s scheme. Of his 12 receptions for 151 yards and a touchdown on 17 targets, 14 of his targets came after the Week Nine bye, as did seven of his receptions, including his touchdown on the road against the Atlanta Falcons.
Entering Year Two, there’s a real opportunity in front of Heyward to become that versatile H-back style weapon. He turned some heads throughout the offseason in OTAs and minicamp. I can’t wait to see if he continues to do so in training camp.
2. ALLEN ROBINSON II, WR
Adding a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver who is just now turning 30 years old and has more than 500 career receptions, 6,000 receiving yards and nearly 50 touchdowns for a swap of just seventh-round picks with the Los Angeles Rams was a massive steal for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason. However, Robinson is coming off two poor seasons with the Chicago Bears and Rams the last two seasons, so he’s seemingly on a downward trend.
That said, early reports regarding Robinson are very positive. He looks healthy overall, is moving well in his recovery from a foot injury that plagued him the last two seasons and seems to be developing a great relationship with Pickett.
Though he isn’t the receiver he once was in his time with the Jacksonville Jaguars or early on with the Bears, Robinson knows how to win consistently in the NFL at the receiver position, whether that’s on the outside or in the slot. In Pittsburgh, he will play primarily the slot, which gives Pittsburgh a significant boost offensively at the WR3 position.
We’ll see if he can stay healthy and still perform at a decent level at this point in his career. If he does, the Steelers could get good contributions from a veteran receiver on a relatively young offense overall, taking their offense to another level under Canada.
3. ALFONZO GRAHAM, RB
Since earning a spot on the 90-man offseason roster as an undrafted free agent tryout player during rookie minicamp, former Morgan State running back Alfonzo Graham has really intrigued me.
Graham had a long and winding college career that saw him play in Arizona, Kansas, and California before coming back home to the Baltimore area and Morgan State. As a senior, he rushed for over 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns.
Invited to the HBCU Combine, which Steelers’ GM Omar Khan attended, Graham bettered his numbers at his Pro Day. There, he ran a 4.56 40 with a 35-inch vertical, 9’10” broad, and 7.29 three-cone. Not outstanding times for his smaller frame, 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, but he played faster on tape.
That play speed in pads and his ability to make plays and catch attention of coaches and personnel has occurred pretty regularly in Pittsburgh this offseason and has him as the favorite to win the No. 3 RB job behind Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Graham earned buzz with a couple of plays made in the spring. In June, reporter Gerry Dulac pegged Graham as this year’s Warren and favorite to grab the wide-open No. 3 running back job. Graham also has special teams value, which will endear him to Danny Smith. The No. 3 back on Pittsburgh’s roster has been one who primarily plays on special teams, not offense.
Graham has a real opportunity in front of him to go from tryout player to a guy getting a helmet on game days in the NFL. All he has to do is beat out Anthony McFarland, Jason Huntley and fellow UDFA Darius Hagans. If he can make some plays in training camp and the preseason, show some special teams prowess and build off a strong offseason with OTAs and minicamp, Graham could be this year’s version of Warren.
4. NATE HERBIG, iOL
One of the more underrated signings of the offseason by the Pittsburgh Steelers was one of its earliest ones with interior offensive lineman Nate Herbig. Initially, he was expected to compete for a starting job at left guard, but then the Steelers inked Isaac Seumalo to a three-year deal, solidifying the starting lineup.
That pushed Herbig to a depth role, at least theoretically. Good news is, that strengthens the Steelers’ depth on the interior of the offensive line, considering Herbig can play left and right guard and has just under 50 career NFL snaps at center. He profiles as that steady interior swing lineman who provides good backup at all three positions and can step in an maintain a strong level of play.
While he might not be a starter for the Steelers, he’s going to be a guy worth watching in training camp, especially if — or when — he gets work at center. He’s a big, physical, nasty offensive lineman and certainly brings something to the table that not many other Steelers offensive linemen do. I’ll be curious to see how he mixes it up in the trenches throughout training camp, if he can play with that chip and edge to his game, and how he looks moving around on the interior under offensive line coach Pat Meyer.
5. CALVIN AUSTIN III, WR
Early in training camp last season, Calvin Austin III really flashed his insane speed and ability to hit home runs left and right. He looked pretty solid overall and then, just like that, he was gone. Hurt on a day closed to the media and the fans right before the Seattle preseason opener due to a foot injury.
That foot injury kept him out his entire rookie season and took away a potential home run hitter for an offense that desperately needed one last season. Now, entering the 2023 season expectations are high for Austin though he hasn’t taken a single NFL snap yet. He’s had a strong offseason overall and teammates and coaches are raving about his speed and the impact he could have offensively in 2023.
Health was always a concern for a guy his size and the position he plays, but last season’s injury seemed like a bit of a fluke, rather than a concerning trend overall. While it remains a bit of a stretch, at least for me, to believe Austin is going to have a prominent role in 2023 offensively, we’ll see what his usage looks like early in camp offensively.
