Training camp for the Pittsburgh Steelers is in full swing and the excitement throughout the city is almost uncontainable. The team will spend the next couple weeks at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA after beginning the annual preparation period on July 27th. There are plenty of things to keep an eye on and while it's early, some guys are already starting to impress. Others, however, are hurting their chances of being relevant when the regular season rolls around. Let's dive into our first 'winners and losers' list of the 2023 season.
Let's start out with some of the biggest positives coming from camp so far. It begins with a couple unexpected and surprising performances from a determined, 24-year old safety.
Winners
Kenny Robinson, Safety
During Sunday's practice in Latrobe, Kenny Robinson was a guy being talked about quite often. Several veterans had the day off which allowed the younger and less experienced players to hop in and prove their worth. The safety did just that, snagging two interceptions and flying around the field. Robinson will have the opportunity to continue showing out with Damontae Kazee 'week-to-week' with an ankle injury.
Robinson has some solid NFL experience. He played in 19 total games in 2020 and 2021 with the Carolina Panthers, while spending most of 2022 on their practice squad. Pittsburgh signed him to a Reserve/Futures contract in January and while his chances of making the 53-man roster are slim, he has had a solid start to camp thus far.
Cory Trice Jr., Cornerback
Joey Porter Jr. has had a pretty good start to camp, but the 2023 first-round selection isn't the only one with something to prove. Trice has had success early on and is using his length to bother wide receivers near the line of scrimmage. He matched up well against Hakeem Butler during one of the offense's plays on Sunday.
The odds of the seventh-round pick making the 53-man roster are strong given his abilities and the lack of depth the Steelers have at the corner position. He has had multiple good defensive reps which is a great sign. Pittsburgh may have found a steal late in the draft.
Kenny Pickett, Quarterback
The Steelers will go as far as Pickett takes them in 2023. The offense is coming off another subpar season, but improvements are expected in year two for the entire unit, and especially the former first-rounder. He is the unquestioned starter entering training camp and his play has looked solid, including a great 3-1 win against the defense in '7 Shots' on Sunday.
It's more than just the on-the-field performances from Pickett that have everyone excited. He seems to have a legitimate handle on the pressure floating around him and has embraced the role of being a leader in the locker room. He is only going to get better as the preseason draws near and if he is able to make a big leap, the Steelers will be a team to watch out for.
Losers
Mason Rudolph, Quarterback
In a shocking turn of events, Rudolph returned to the Steelers after a reunion seemed extremely unlikely. It has not gone according to plan up to this point after both interceptions from Robinson on Sunday came at the hands of Rudolph. Fourth-string signal-caller, Tanner Morgan has absolutely nothing to lose and will accept any kind of rep that he can get over the course of training camp and the preseason.
Rudolph also threw the first interception of training camp when safety, Elijah Riley jumped in front of a pass and secured a turnover for the defense. Rudolph may be a veteran, but the plethora of early interceptions are not going to do him any favors. He still has the leg-up when it comes to the third-string spot because of his experience, but it's not encouraging to follow what he has done thus far.
Dan Moore Jr., Offensive Tackle
There are several intense training camp positional battles going on. One of the most popular is at left tackle where incumbent starter, Dan Moore Jr. will try to hold off rookie first-round pick, Broderick Jones. There is already some video evidence of Moore Jr. getting burned by edge rushers, specifically, Alex Highsmith. Defenders are not allowed to touch the quarterback right now, but if they were, several sacks would have been let up by Moore Jr. already.
On Sunday, Jones got to work with the first-team on the left side while Moore Jr. moved over to the right. It's already pretty clear that the Steelers coaching staff is looking at Moore Jr. as more of a swing tackle in case of injuries rather than an actual starter. He is on a tight leash and in serious danger of losing his status as the lead left tackle.
Calvin Austin III, Wide Receiver
The 2023 first impression of Austin was probably not one that many expected. The speedster dropped several passes on day one of camp, while his competition, Allen Robinson II, looked much more in tune. Expectations have been set high for the second-year player, who might as well be looked at as a rookie due to him losing his entire first season due to injury.
Diontae Johnson has been plagued by drops in recent years and the last thing Steelers fans want to see is another dynamic pass catcher struggle with hauling in the football. The good news is that Austin has at least shown elite speed, getting behind defenders several times throughout the last few days. He has bounced back during the last few camp sessions, but with a savvy veteran in A. Robinson ahead of him on the figurative depth chart, he can't afford to be making simple mistakes this early on.
Other Steelers Players Deserving Of A Mention
Several other guys have showed up to camp on a mission. Anthony McFarland Jr., A. Robinson, rookie edge rusher, Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith have all looked terrific. They receive honorable mention, while Darnell Washington has struggled a bit to adjust to the speed of the NFL game. Washington was pulled from a play on the goal line which he false started on, and he had a drop (albeit a high/tough catch) that led to an interception on Saturday. Mason Cole had three botched snaps on Saturday as well. It's early, but all of these guys listed are ones to look out for in the coming weeks.
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