As is the same in every preseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have some position battles on their hands. One of those battles is between Cam Johnston and Corliss Waitman at punter. That’s a job Waitman might have the upper hand in, according to Steelers insider Gerry Dulac.
“I’m just terribly, terribly impressed with Corliss Waitman,” Dulac said Thursday night on WDVE’s Pregame Show. “They’re gonna have a hard time cutting that guy, which I don’t think they will. I think he has won the battle. He has outkicked, if you will, or has outpunted Cam Johnston, who was very good. It’s gonna go right down to the end. But I think number three wins that job.”
Dulac’s comments came prior to the preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers. Johnston and Waitman punted one time apiece in the Steelers’ 19-10 win, Johnston for 33 yards, and Waitman for 35.
This battle has quietly been one of the most competitive on the entire Steelers’ roster. Interestingly, if it wasn’t for some bad luck at the beginning of the 2024 season, this battle may have never happened in the first place. The Steelers signed Johnston ahead of the 2024 season, and gave him a relatively large contract for a punter. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Steelers’ Week 1 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
That injury allowed Corliss Waitman an opportunity, and he did well. Waitman averaged of 46.4 yards on 65 punts last seaason, with his longest punt being 71 yards. He also dropped 27 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
However, Johnston came into camp seeming to have the advantage. He’s being paid more — he signed a three-year, $9 million deal in March 2024 — and price tags typically mean a lot for special teams players. Johnston also simply has a better resume than Waitman. He’s averaged 47.3 yards over his career and has downed 183 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. Johnston also led the league in total punt yards in 2021 with 4,108.
Johnston’s injury is significant for a punter, but he appears to have made a full recovery. He even played well this preseason, downing three punts inside the opponents’ 20. Dulac even admits that he’s been “very good”.
However, it might not be enough. Corliss Waitman winning the battle seems to be a growing sentiment among beat writers. He’s got a strong leg, is a good holder for Chris Boswell, and may just be doing enough to hold off Johnston.
