For the rest of the summer, we’ll give a position-by-position, player-by-player recap of what I saw during the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers training camp and preseason games. This list is based off the 16 public camp practices and the preseason games I’ve watched to this point. It’s based solely off their performance over that span and does not necessarily represent my feelings for the player over the course of the regular season.
A heads up, I intend on using the full grading scale through these reports. Not just giving players A’s to C’s. It may sound harsh but it’s as honest and fair as I can be.
Continuing our grades with the wide receivers.
George Pickens
A great camp for Pickens, a top-five player at Latrobe. Worry over his first day argument with WRs Coach Zach Azzanni are long forgotten, though Pickens is unlikely to hide his emotions throughout the entire regular season. He still showed moments of frustration throughout the rest of camp but it’s football and he’s a receiver and it’s all manageable so long as he produces.
This camp, produce he did. He led the team in receptions (44), targets (58), yards (500), and touchdowns (10). There weren’t as many unbelievable downfield grabs as past camps, though make no mistake, he still had a couple, but it was his YAC that stuck out. His most notable play a 70-yard touchdown with more than half of that coming after the catch, stepping out of a SS DeShon Elliott tackle to motor into the end zone the rest of the way. His YAC was also displayed in the Steelers’ preseason opener, taking two short catches for first downs after the catch.
Pickens has improved his route running and versatility, aligning all over the formation and seeing lots of time in the slot. Combine that with OC Arthur Smith using stacks and bunches, Pickens will have freer releases and avoid some of the double-teams defenses will try to utilize against him. He worked hard, his durability and availability is underrated and overlooked, and he is the Steelers’ clear-cut No. 1 receiver.
Camp Grade: A
Van Jefferson
Our official camp winner, his summer wasn’t quite as impressive as Pickens. But Jefferson created more space between him and the rest of the receivers than anyone else at any other position. He entered camp perhaps just inside the bubble and exits squarely on the team as the Steelers No. 2 wideout.
Jefferson is tough with strong hands and repeatedly made tough downfield catches against the likes of CB Joey Porter Jr. He looked more athletic than what he appeared to be in Atlanta last season, is versatile, and brings a veteran presence. Jefferson can block and has a good feel for finding open grass in zone. He was also used as the lone receiver in 13 personnel because of his size and blocking. Jefferson finished second in receptions, targets, and yards this camp, only trailing Pickens.
There were moments late in camp where Jefferson was less involved in the offense but that’s just the ebb and flow of camp. He’s still more of an ideal No. 3 receiver than No. 2 but it’s encouraging that someone stepped up at the position this summer to surpass expectations. He’s a younger and more athletic Allen Robinson II.
Camp Grade: A-
Scotty Miller
Miller’s 4.3-40 time translates to the field. He ran behind corners throughout camp only to be overthrown or narrowly missed by whoever was in at quarterback that rep. Miller also hurt himself late in camp by dropping a downfield pass that would’ve gone through 40 yards, the ball slipping through his hands.
Still, Miller made tough catches over the middle. He has inside/outside versatility, is a precise route runner, and has a bit of return/special teams value. He saw a ton of targets and tied third on the team with 20 receptions, though his average was under 10 yards per catch. Miller certainly isn’t starting or even heavy rotation material but he’s a solid name to have towards the back of the depth chart as a No. 4 receiver who might be inactive until an injury strikes. He’s not guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster but the coaches seem to like him.
Camp Grade: B
Jaray Jenkins
A forgotten reserve, it felt like even surviving all of training camp would’ve been huge for Jenkins. He accomplished more than that. Jenkins broke away from the bottom of the depth chart to see a tier up in reps and work. With size and decent route running, he made plays over the middle and could produce a little post-catch. He led all players by averaging 16.4 yards per catch.
The volume wasn’t there and Jenkins was quieter near the end of camp, ending with just nine receptions across 15 team practices. His special teams value is minimal, once looking good in a gunner drill during Friday Night Lights but not seeing action on ‘teams throughout the preseason. There’s practice squad potential and value and Jenkins did well to beat expectations to even enter that conversation.
Camp Grade: B-
Dez Fitzpatrick
A slow start for Fitzpatrick, including a terrible drop after working his way wide open down the left sideline early in camp. But he improved from there, finishing the summer with 123 yards and three touchdowns. Respectable numbers. His hands are just ok but he played and moved with more confidence this camp after entering last year as a reserve trying to avoid being cut every day.
Special teams is his top asset and he’s worked as a starting gunner through the team’s first two preseason outings. Results have been mixed and he hasn’t done enough to lock down the job but there’s still a path to make the team as a No. 5 wide receiver. He made a nice concentration catch along the sideline against the Bills for one of the few offensive highlights of the night.
Camp Grade: C
Quez Watkins
Kinda like his career, Watkins’ camp felt inconsistent. He was also at the back of the depth chart behind pretty much everyone he was competing with. Behind Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin, Roman Wilson, Scotty Miller, and probably a step below Dez Fitzpatrick, too.
Known for his speed, Watkins made big plays downfield, including a 50-yard diving catch from Justin Fields. He also made a nice adjustment down the seam on a throw intentionally behind him to cap off a two-minute drill, a 21-yard touchdown. His preseason opener against the Texans was a disaster as a punt returner, making one bad/conservative fair catch decision before muffing and losing another with poor posture and technique.
He didn’t hang his head and responded with three quality practices to end training camp. By the end, he finished third on the team in yards and averaged nearly 15 yards per catch. But I don’t see a path for him ahead of the other guys. Maybe a practice squad veteran because his speed is a true calling card.
Camp Grade: C
Calvin Austin III
Austin came on strong late in camp but for large stretches, had a quiet camp. Through the first 13 practices, he had just eight receptions in team periods despite consistently running as the Steelers No. 3 wideout. He’s not in control of when he gets the ball but it’s rare to see a player tearing up camp and getting open be ignored in the passing game so I won’t blame quarterback play or the scheme.
He works hard and coaches praise his intangibles. His work ethic, his leadership, and he blocks and plays hard. No questions there. But you don’t hear as much about his actual traits as a wide receiver. He’s fast but needs to win in more ways than just vertically. Too often, he struggled in contested situations on contact or when the ball wasn’t perfectly thrown on-frame, a small catch radius that struggles to catch outside his body. All small receivers have that issue but someone like Scotty Miller shows better hands and the ability to make tough catches in traffic. Austin hasn’t gotten to that point.
His most memorable moments came with some fun battles against CB Beanie Bishop Jr., once making a great leaping end zone grab while Bishop face-guarded him.
To his credit, Austin made big plays downfield and on the receiving end of Russell Wilson’s 55-yard completion towards the end of camp, beating CB Anthony Averett. In the preseason opener, he had a pair of 20-plus yard receptions and he’s an acceptable punt returner. Austin also finished with five touchdowns, tied for second-most on the team. But once Roman Wilson gets healthy, which will be soon, Austin will be a No. 4 receiver in an Arthur Smith offense. He can rotate in but there isn’t a ton of gameday value here.
Camp Grade: C-
Marquez Callaway
A potential camp sleeper entering camp, it quickly became clear Callaway didn’t have a path to the 53-man roster. His production across the first few practices was respectable, four catches, 48 yards, and a touchdown, but the Steelers released him before the calendar turned to August. Callaway signed with his former team, the New Orleans Saints, before being cut by them, too.
Camp Grade: C-
Duece Watts
Watts can tell his friends he caught Russell Wilson’s first pass in team drills once Wilson was permitted to do so. Watts made the most of it, breaking a tackle and turning a 5-yard curl into a 15-yard gain. Watts would catch a couple more from Wilson the rest of camp and had a nice over-the-shoulder grab during a two-minute drill from Kyle Allen late in the summer.
But his hands are poor and he drops and bobbles too many, officially listed with a team-high three drops this camp. And nothing about his game sticks out in a memorable and meaningful way. Outside chance to stay on the practice squad but I’d bet against it.
Camp Grade: D+
Jacob Copeland
“Winner” of our “Bleh” award this camp, the player who made it through camp but had a forgettable string of practices, Copeland should be commended for surviving as long as he has. He practiced every day and worked hard in camp, getting to a point of a football career very few do.
But there’s hardly anything to note about his game. Incredibly, he caught just four passes on six targets during the entire camp slate, adding up to only 33 yards. His frame is average, isn’t much of an athlete despite 4.42-timed speed, and lacks a defining trait. He’ll be a quick cut and I’d be shocked if he landed on the practice squad.
Camp Grade: D-
Roman Wilson
The rookie had a quiet first two days of camp before showing his talent the next couple of practices, creating separation and making tough grabs. His best came along the sideline, a twisting catch getting both feet down on a slot fade versus Beanie Bishop Jr.
But Wilson was injured on the first day in pads. Taking a jet sweep left to right in seven shots, CB Anthony Averett wrapped him up and rolled him down. Wilson sprained his ankle and missed the rest of camp, though he moved around normally without a boot or brace by the time the team left Saint Vincent College. Despite basically just four practices, he still went for nearly 100 yards and one touchdown. His momentum derailed but there’s time to get back on track.
Considered giving a grade here because he went through 25 percent of the practices with some volume but because he’s a rookie with a clean slate and didn’t make it through a padded practice, the evaluation is just too unclear. What Wilson did when healthy was encouraging, I’ll say that much.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Tarik Black
Signed mid-camp after some injuries, Black looks the part with impressive measurables and times (6026, 213 pounds with a 40-inch vertical). He made one nice snag behind his body on a slant, displaying a wide catch radius. But his time with the team was brief before suffering a hamstring injury and being waived/injured. He caught two passes for 34 yards in team periods and should soon be released with an injury settlement, trying to get on the tryout circuit once healthy.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
T.J. Luther
Signed for the final day of camp, Luther has a thin frame. He had one target during the final practice but apparent miscommunication led to an incompletion. That continued into the Bills’ game, not being on the same page as Justin Fields on a would-be touchdown. Not much information and nothing to really evaluate.
Camp Grade: Incomplete
Previous Camp Grades
