After a long three weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers have wrapped up their 2023 training camp. A great 16 practices and hopefully you’ve enjoyed our coverage this summer. We’ll be providing a ton of post-camp coverage and writing recaps/grades for every single player who went through camp with the team.
But instead of doing a traditional winners and losers list, I wanted to make the first Steelers Depot training camp awards. Something a little more unique to begin putting a bow on camp.
With that said, our 2023 Steelers training camp awards.
Biggest Winner: WR George Pickens
This was a close call and there’s plenty of strong candidates here. But Pickens showed the ability to be more than a vertical, jump-ball receiver. He can and will still very much do that but he’s running a fuller route tree and showing to be more dangerous after the catch. That’s how he becomes an elite receiver, not just a very good one with a great lone trick. He finished camp second on the team in receiving yards (321) and tied for the team-lead with seven touchdowns in the team periods. It could be a huge regular season for him.
Honorable Mentions: ILB Cole Holcomb, OLB Nick Herbig, QB Kenny Pickett, WR Diontae Johnson, NT Keeanu Benton, OT Dan Moore Jr.
Loading up the honorable mentions here. All the inside linebackers looked impressive, but Holcomb was very good in camp in run defense, coverage, and as a blitzer. Great all-around camp. Herbig showed he can hang at outside linebacker and his athleticism and motor really pop. Pickett had a bit of a slow start but picked up and was strong over the final two weeks. Johnson was very good and for stretches better than Pickens, while Benton was superb in the team’s preseason owner. His hand use and athleticism really pop. Right now, Moore is holding off rookie first-round pick Broderick Jones.
Biggest Disappointment: WR Hakeem Butler
Truthfully, it’s hard to name any individual a disappointment this camp. Most years, they’re easier to pick out. But there wasn’t any obvious name this time around. QB Mason Rudolph had a lackluster camp while the backup specialists (P Braden Mann, LS Rex Sunahara), as of this writing, have done little to push the incumbents.
But I’ll set my sights on Butler, who earned plenty of buzz when he signed from the XFL after a strong stint there. Unfortunately, Butler did little to meet the buzz and push for a spot on the 53-man roster. Despite playing in the slot a good bit in the spring league, Butler spent the vast majority of his time with the Steelers on the outside. He occasionally flashed with a tough catch over the middle but wasn’t a downfield threat, generated little to no separation, and spent most days extremely quiet and fighting for reps. Drops were a problem with two in the team’s final practice. He was outshined by the likes of WR Dez Fitzpatrick.
Butler did okay on special teams, but he never threw his hat into the 53-man roster ring, unless something dramatically changes these next two weeks before cutdown.
Honorable Mentions: Backup Specialists, QB Mason Rudolph, RB Najee Harris, Lack of running back competition
As mentioned, Braden Mann and Rex Sunahara haven’t felt like they’ve been pushing Pressley Harvin III and Christian Kuntz very much. Rudolph will make the team as the No. 3 quarterback, but his camp was worse than I expected with the most interceptions of any quarterback (five) and a handful of poor decisions. He does throw a pretty deep ball, though.
Anthony McFarland Jr. ran away with the internal running back job, though his spot on the 53 isn’t fully secure, with little in the way of competition. What I thought would be a great battle between him, Darius Hagans, and others turned into a total dud. It’s a little too trendy to dunk on Harris and in fairness, guys like him, who are off-limits to be tackled in camp, tend to be quieter, but I was hoping for a little more on him coming out of this summer after last year was washed by his foot injury.
Hardest Worker: CB Joey Porter Jr.
Porter was the first man onto the field for almost every practice, usually around 1:25 PM, a full half-hour before practice technically started. The rookie spent nearly every waking moment of downtime working on his hands. Getting on the JUGS machine early to catch 30-35 passes before practice and always catching with one of the assistant coaches throughout the day. He even once played a quick game of soft toss with DC Teryl Austin while he was lined up at his right cornerback spot waiting for the offense to break the huddle during a team period.
Porter isn’t someone who thinks he can rest on his laurels because he was a top-32 draft pick or has his dad’s last name. Porter is doing all he can to earn the right to play. And based off his impressive performance, play he will.
Honorable Mentions: TE Pat Freiermuth, OTs Dan Moore and Broderick Jones
Freiermuth was always the first tight end on the field, getting in extra work on the dummies with TEs Coach Alfredo Roberts. The dude puts in the work and is always available, never missing time. Moore and Jones are humble dudes who stayed late after practice for extra reps, embracing a healthy competition between the two. Those guys didn’t miss a rep and put in overtime.
Best Play: George Pickens’ Catch On Joey Porter Jr.
You already know which one I’m talking about. Perhaps Pickens didn’t make as many sensational downfield grabs as he did a year ago but his fully extended, one-handed snare with Porter draped all over him is as good as it gets. Unless you’re George Pickens, then it’s only about a top-five catch. And miss me with the offensive pass interference stuff. You make a catch like that, you can shove a defensive back as much as you want. It’s camp – enjoy the moment.
Honorable Mentions: CB Joey Porter Jr.’s two-minute drill interception, TE Darnell Washington’s skying touchdown, LB Elandon Roberts’ backs-on-‘backers rep, OC/FB Kendrick Green’s catches, TE Connor Heyward’s one-handed catch.
Porter jumping and making a sliding interception on Kenny Pickett in a two-minute drill was a “whoa” moment for the rookie. Washington skied over S Milles Killebrew on a red zone fade in seven shots that showed just how big he can play. Roberts absolutely flattened RB John Lovett in a backs-on-‘backers rep in the first day in pads, Lovett never fully practicing again before being cut.
For a minute, Green was a talk of camp for his play-action grabs in the flat, trucking Tanner Muse on one rep and stiff-arming James Pierre on another. And I still don’t know how Heyward made a diving, one-handed grab during a two-minute drill. It felt like an impossible play, but Mike Tomlin ruled it a catch.
We Hardly Knew Ye: RB John Lovett
The award for “guy you forget was even there.” Lovett was signed midway through camp helping to replace the injured Alfonzo Graham and the released Jason Huntley. Lovett suited up for the first practice in pads on a Tuesday. He got laid out in backs on ‘backers and didn’t practice again. Curiously, the Steelers kept him around for two weeks and as soon as Lovett looked close to returning, going through a light and padless session of work on Sunday, the team turned around and cut him Tuesday. He spent exactly two weeks with the team and practiced once.
Honorable Mentions: CB Isaiah Dunn, DL James Nyamwaya
Dunn actually has some NFL pedigree with 17 total appearances. He was added during camp to help replace the injured Cory Trice Jr. But he was a deep reserve who struggled to see reps during team periods. He injured his right knee during Sunday’s practice and was waived the next day. The only person to even report he was injured that day was me.
Unlike Lovett and Dunn, Nyamwaya spent the entire camp with the team, signing as an UDFA after April’s draft. But behind a deep and competitive battle along the defensive line, Nyamwaya was a fourth-stringer who would see probably about five snaps per practice. This isn’t to knock any of these guys who have worked so hard. I loathe the term “camp bodies,” but I understand the reality that some players just get the short end of the stick. Happens every camp. This year, it was these three guys.
Biggest Surprise: No Camp Fights
A little obscure but not one camp skirmish broke out. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen in a camp. It was competitive, intense, and physical but the players kept things between the whistles. There was hardly any pushing and shoving after plays, let alone these big-school cafeteria watch parties as several players go at it like in years past. Instead, cooler heads prevailed. Not saying it’s a good or bad thing but it’s most definitely a surprise.
Most Fan Friendly: TE Zach Gentry
I don’t hang around after practice to see what players sign autographs until their hands go numb; I’m sure several of them do. But routinely early in practice before the first horn sounded, Gentry would grab a football and play catch with fans in the stands. He did this on most days, including Thursday’s practice finale. Showing off his arm as a former quarterback and getting to make some fan’s day. Pretty cool.
“Bleh” Award: OT Le’Raven Clark
Given to the guy who was there…and that’s about all I can say about him. Le’Raven Clark was definitely one of the 90 players on the Steelers’ camp roster, no question about that. His play was uninspiring. He got cooked by Nick Herbig the first few days in practice, doesn’t have a defining trait other than experience and left/right tackle versatility, and appeared to be passed up by Spencer Anderson and Dylan Cook over the final week of camp. Clark won’t make the 53.
Camp Darling: S Kenny Robinson
Though a former fifth-round pick of the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh native, Robinson received virtually zero buzz heading into the summer. He didn’t leave it that way. Robinson was the camp’s biggest playmaker with three interceptions, including two great plays downfield where he went up and attacked the football. He also picked QB Mason Rudolph jumping a slant in seven shots.
With size and physicality, he had a very good camp, though was relatively quiet in the preseason opener versus Tampa Bay. Robinson’s conditioning should also be praised, soaking up a ton of first-team reps with Minkah Fitzpatrick absent the first week of practice while Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal missed time with injuries.
Honorable Mention: OT Dylan Cook
A nice camp for Cook with great feet and strong hands. He shined in the 1v1 drills about as well as anyone, though he faced lower-level competition. Over the last day, he moved up and saw second-team reps and even got a little work at guard. He proved he should be kept on the team’s practice squad.
Best Battle: OT Broderick Jones vs. OLB Nick Herbig
Herbig had fun battles with a lot of players but to see rookie go against rookie, two stud athletes for their positions, was a lot of fun. Herbig won some reps, Jones won some reps, and they made each other better. Herbig showed the ability to actually gain the edge on Jones, something few did, while Jones countered with the ability to seal him up the arc instead of Herbig dusting poor Le’Raven Clark, as he did early in camp.
Honorable Mentions: DE Cam Heyward vs. OG Isaac Seumalo, WR George Pickens vs. CB Joey Porter Jr.
Seumalo is the best dance partner Heyward’s had since Ramon Foster. Pickens and Porter are an obvious choice though with Porter missing some time and running with the second team quite a bit, those two didn’t see each other quite as much as you might think.
Breakout Player: WR Calvin Austin III
Despite missing his rookie season with a foot injury, Austin hasn’t lost a step. He was a dynamic threat during camp. After a slow start, he turned it on and repeatedly won downfield, carrying that over inside stadiums with a 67-yard touchdown deep down the left sideline against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He can be an explosive threat in the horizontal and vertical passing game. Austin made more big plays than anyone on the offense this summer.
Honorable Mention: OG James Daniels
I’m comparing Daniels to his camp a year ago when he was a disaster going through the growing pains of adjusting to Pat Meyer’s system. Much better this time around, as you’d expect, and he could have a big season, though his final two padded days of camp weren’t as strong. DL DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk are also candidates though I don’t think either quite reached true “breakout” status. Want to see a little more from each but I am encouraged.
Most Underrated: CB Levi Wallace
All Levi Wallace does is show up, practice well, make some plays, and he never has a bad day. He may never be a superstar, but Wallace is as steady as they come with an all-around solid game. Peterson gets the love as the future Hall of Famer and Porter gets the attention as the high-prized rookie. Wallace is left sandwiched in between but is a dependable Steeler who quietly goes about his business at an above-the-line level.
Honorable Mentions: WR Allen Robinson II, C Mason Cole
Robinson has gotten more love this summer because of his newness to the organization. He just made a boatload of touch catches over the middle while providing tons of leadership to a relatively young room that needed a guy like him. His 2023 stats probably won’t pop but he’ll play a key role on critical downs. And his release package is still top tier.
Cole had some snapping issues early in camp but ironed things out. An old-school center, he shows up every day and has no real weaknesses to his game.
Mr. Versatile: Offensive Athlete Connor Heyward
What didn’t Heyward do in camp? He played H-back, tight end, slot receiver, running back, special teams, heck, the dude threw a touchdown pass in the team’s annual goal-line drill. You won’t find many players who wear more hats than Heyward. He may lack size but is a tough and true football player who is always available and always working.
Honorable Mentions: DB Patrick Peterson, OL Spencer Anderson
Peterson seems poised to move around a fair bit in the Steelers’ defense, bumping inside on third downs and obvious passing situations. Peterson has also been part of the team’s post-snap rotations and playing deep-half and deep-middle safety. His role could end up being similar to what Cam Sutton offered the team the past two seasons. Anderson was the only offensive lineman to play all five spots this camp, starting out at tackle but seeing action at guard and center late in camp when Nate Herbig suffered a shoulder injury. That versatility will push him hard for a 53-man roster spot.
Worst Moment: CB Cory Trice Jr.’s Injury
Pittsburgh generally avoided a ton of injuries this camp, especially to key names, but Trice crumpling to the ground on the first day in pads was tough to watch. He knew right away his season was done. Trice was performing well in what should’ve been a fun camp between him and Joey Porter Jr. Instead, Trice will spend his rookie year on IR and get back next summer. His long injury history is worrisome.
Honorable Mention: LB Chapelle Russell’s Injury
Russell was a high-energy run-and-hit player in camp. But he suffered an injury early in the opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his knee buckling covering a kick, and was waived/injured days later. Disappointing for a guy who deserved in-game defensive snaps.
Biggest Takeaway: The Skill Guys Are Uber-Talented
Trying not to be a prisoner of the moment but the collection of skill guys the Steelers have this year is as strong as they’ve had in years. They haven’t had a group this good since probably 2018 (Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Conner, Vance McDonald), and you could argue this group looks deeper than that ’18 group (though 2018 had Brown, which heavily tilts the scales in its favor).
Diontae Johnson quietly had an excellent camp while George Pickens looks refined in Year Two, taking his game to another level. Allen Robinson II and Calvin Austin III will offer a ton of production, primarily but not exclusively from the slot, while Pat Freiermuth is a top-10 tight end and Darnell Washington a red zone weapon while Connor Heyward will do plenty of this group. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren as a one-two punch is also attractive while Kenny Pickett has made strides in his second season. This offense should produce this year. It must. Failure is not an option.
Honorable Mention: Steeler Nation Is Excited For Some Football
Though this was Pittsburgh’s second year back at Saint Vincent College since the pandemic wiped out the 2020 and 2021 years in Latrobe, turnout felt much higher this year than last. Friday Night Lights, the first since 2019, had a record attendance of nearly 14,000. The final Sunday practice had among the most packed parking lots I’ve ever seen, cars literally lining the road a mile deep to enter the field. Never seen that before. The crowds were consistently excellent and if you didn’t get to practice early, you were waiting a long time to get in.
