With training camp fast approaching, it’s time to look at some Steelers who have the most to prove with their play at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. With a number of spots up for grabs, there should be no shortage of competition during camp and it’s going be a lot of fun to see things play out.
TE Darnell Washington
This is a pick that’s largely based on the news coming out over the last few weeks about Washington. Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said that he could start the season as an inactive, and there’s been a lot of talk that he isn’t ready to produce at the NFL level.
When the Steelers drafted Washington, anyone who thought he’d enter the league as a league-ready pass catcher and route runner was probably mistaken. He’s not going to be a steady receiving presence and that wasn’t even his role at Georgia. What he can be is the team’s best option as a blocking tight end, and for a team that wants to rely on it’s run game, Washington could play a role as a blocker.
He’s going to have to prove he’s ready to contribute in that facet of the game to get a helmet Week 1, and given the concerns suddenly popping up about his ability to contribute early, it’s fair to put him on this list even though we don’t have any body of work in the NFL to pull from.
DT Montravius Adams
Adams needs to show he can compete with Keeanu Benton and be just as good or a better option as Breidon Fehoko and Armon Watts if he wants to make the roster. Adams was signed during the 2021 season and immediately showed flashes and he looked to be a really solid find by Pittsburgh’s front office.
But he regressed in 2022, and Benton was taken in the second round and he’s the presumed starter at NT. Adams doesn’t even have to win the job, but he needs to put up a fight. DT was a position the team made a clear effort to improve by also bringing in Fehoko and Watts (who has some versatility up and down the line) in free agency, so they weren’t happy with Adams’ play last year.
He’s firmly on the roster bubble, and if the team had to cut down to 53 guys today, I’d be surprised if Adams ended up on the team. But that’s why there’s training camp and the preseason, and with a good performance, Adams could look to save his job.
S Tre Norwood
Norwood’s versatility was his greatest strength, but he’s falling down the depth chart at both safety and corner. He wasn’t listed as a slot corner candidate by Grady Brown earlier this summer, and at safety, he’s behind Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal on the depth chart.
So what’s Norwood’s role? That’s what he’s going to have to show in training camp. If he can elevate himself into the slot corner discussion, it never hurts having multiple options at the position. Plus, neither Elijah Riley nor Duke Dawson are locks to make the roster either, meaning Norwood’s familiarity could push him on the roster as a potential backup if he performs well.
Norwood hasn’t played a ton on special teams, just 358 total snaps and only 156 last year. That could hurt him unless he shows that he’s become more of an asset on that side of the game. If he does, then I’d be a lot less worried about Norwood’s standing, but that’s what he has to show in camp. He’s gotta prove to Mike Tomlin he can be a capable backup at safety and slot corner and make a difference on special teams. That could help give him a nod over guys like Riley, Dawson, or special teams ace Miles Killebrew.
