Steelers Have 3 Fascinating Training Camp Battles Approaching

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a standard for over two decades that essentially revolves around not having losing seasons. Dating back to 2003, that has been the case. Mike Tomlin was the head coach for the majority of that time period, but Mike McCarthy is now the lead man in charge. There have been plenty of roster tweaks and several additions that could hypothetically lead to the team winning its first postseason game since the 2016 campaign. However, it is a bit crowded on the depth chart in several areas, which is why the coaching staff is going to have some tough decisions to make.

It's impossible to discuss the position battles that will be going on in training camp without immediately focusing on what is going to happen under center behind Aaron Rodgers.

1.) Mason Rudolph And Will Howard

The quarterback spot is an interesting one because there are two potentially formidable backups that will be trying to convince McCarthy that they deserve to be the second-string guy. In a perfect world, one would simply slide to number three and be the emergency signal-caller on game days. That, however, might not be possible because Drew Allar was selected in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Now, both Mason Rudolph and Will Howard could either find themselves one injury away from starting or looking for a new home. It's almost impossible to keep four quarterbacks on a 53-man roster, so it's anyone's guess as to who will win over the new staff. There's always a scenario where one of the four finds himself on Injured Reserve (IR), which would allow the franchise to keep all of them around.

2.) Third Wide Receiver Spot

It would make sense for fans to assume that rookie Germie Bernard has the inside track to start in the slot. With that said, McCarthy may be a lot more fond of Roman Wilson than Tomlin was. First-year players don't always get treated with favoritism, and a strong camp from Wilson could lead to some difficult decisions being made when it comes to the pass-catching group.

A lot of this could end up having to do with who Rodgers prefers to be in the starting role. Wilson and the veteran didn't seem to click on all cylinders in 2025, but things can change. The Steelers have one of their deeper receiving groups in several years, so these two playmakers battling it out in training camp will be a fun storyline to pay attention to.

3.) Rookie Versus Redemption Tour At Cornerback

Asante Samuel Jr. wasn't necessarily expected to play in 2025 after undergoing surgery, but he found a home with the Steelers in the middle of the season. His play was enough to earn another one-year deal. That didn't stop the front office, however, from bringing in rookie Daylen Everette, who was selected in the third round. Cornerbacks often go through soft tissue injuries, so depth at the position is critical. One of these guys could be one unfortunate occurrence away from being relied on.

One is a first-year player who will look to make an impact immediately, while the other is still working back from a serious injury and trying to prove that he might be deserving of a lucrative contract come the 2027 offseason. The duo will be put to the test against a strong group of pass-catchers, so the best man will end up coming out on top.

Steelers Also Have Some Questions On The Offensive Line

A lot is currently in limbo with Pittsburgh's big men up front on offense. Injuries, new faces, and inexperienced starters all exist. While it might be relatively easy to project the starting group once training camp begins, there are a lot of variables and plenty could change. The Steelers need the unit to be stout if the collective as a whole on offense is going to be better than it has been in previous years.