With the Pittsburgh Steelers reporting to Latrobe tomorrow for the start of training camp, the waiting and anticipation is nearly over. We will soon see the players put on the pads and back to playing actual football.
There have been plenty of storylines and superlatives floating around during the dead of the offseason. However, I came up with a wish list of five things yinz should be hoping to see once training camp commences.
1. No Major Injuries To The Two-Deep Players
This one is a bit of a gimme, but still cannot be more vital to Pittsburgh’s success this season. Losing a starter during training camp or the preseason can completely alter the outlook of the rest of the year, regardless of whether it’s a four-week or season-ending injury. The same can be said with key contributors who may not play every snap but make their presence felt on a rotational basis.
Every year, we hear news come in across the league of players going down with torn ACLs, Achilles, etc. in just the first couple of days of training camp. Sure, occasional bumps and bruises of practicing every day after time off is going to happen and your occasional rolled ankle can’t always be avoided. However, the Steelers need to avoid the injury bug to their two-deep players on the roster, keeping the top of the roster healthy and intact prior to the start of the regular season.
2. Kenny Pickett Is “The Man”
The narrative of Kenny Pickett making the leap in his second season has been run into the ground at this point, but the point still holds true. Pickett’s development directly plays into this team’s success or failure this coming season, and Pickett will dictate exactly how far this team can go given the pieces around him.
Should Pickett command the huddle, execute the two-minute drill effectively, and utilize all of the weapons at his disposal in the passing game against this defense, Pittsburgh should be feeling pretty good about its odds of not only securing a playoff spot, but also winning that elusive playoff game.
3. Inside Linebackers Provide Splash
The inside linebacker position has been a black hole for the Steelers the last several seasons, continuously discarding underachieving veteran after underachieving veteran to the scrap heap after failing to make any semblance of splash at the position. Devin Bush also didn’t work out after coming back from a knee injury in his second season, looking like a shell of his former self as he failed to make splash plays and looked hesitant about playing a physical brand of football.
The Steelers overhauled their ILB room this offseason, signing Cole Holcomb, Elandon Roberts, Nick Kwiatkoski, and Tanne Muse to go along with Mark Robinson. Pittsburgh opted for the mid-tier free agent veteran route once again this offseason, but at least Holcomb and Roberts have shown they can play physical football. If they can provide any semblance of splash to the defense Pittsburgh should be in a good spot.
4. Pittsburgh Feels Confident In Nickel Corner Spot
The slot cornerback position has been a huge question mark for Pittsburgh throughout the offseason after releasing Arthur Maulet and seeing Cameron Sutton walk in free agency. They signed CB Chandon Sullivan who has starting experience there and have experimented with CB Patrick Peterson getting some run inside, but needless to say, people on the outside looking in aren’t exactly sure what Pittsburgh’s plan is when it comes to its nickel back.
Should Sullivan flash in training camp or Peterson hold his own inside when he gets bumped to nickel, Pittsburgh’s defense will greatly benefit. For a defense that has a bunch of new faces heading into 2023, it’s important to have some chemistry and have communication be on point. Having a primary slot defender should help in this, and if one of the options mentioned steps up and plays well, Pittsburgh’s defensive coaching staff can likely sleep better at night.
5. WR Calvin Austin III Flashes As A Receiver/Returner
WR Calvin Austin III only made it a few practices last season during training camp before getting shut down for the season with a foot injury. During that short time, however, we were able to see and hear of Austin’s dynamic speed being on display, making plays down the field and generating YAC.
Heading into his second season, Austin appears fully healthy and ready to make up for lost time. Should he spark the passing game with a speedster that they are currently missing while also making plays in the return game, the Steelers will find themselves sitting pretty heading into the regular season, having a passing game that can beat you a plethora of ways with pass catchers of all shapes and sizes at Kenny Pickett’s disposal.
