Steelers Training Camp Outlook: Specialists

Ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp at Saint Vincent’s College in Latrobe (Penn) from July 24 through August 12, 2025, Steel City Underground presents outlooks on each positional group’s depth chart and offers insight on how those players may fare ahead of the NFL regular season.

With the Steelers having reported for training camp, it’s time to take a look at the position group that often gets overlooked, especially during practices: the specialists.

Every year, players are evaluated during camp for their ability to make the roster on special teams – whether on coverage or returns. While there will be some individuals who will be designated as returners, we have most likely covered them in our other training camp previews at their regular position (see receivers and running backs, mainly). In this article, we will focus on the actual specialists.

Specialists: Chris Boswell, Ben Sauls, Cameron Johnston, Corliss Waitman, Christian Kuntz, Tucker Addington

Placekickers

Fan-favorite and clutch kicker Chris Bowell, ranked fourth in the league in all time field goal percentage, returns to work his magic. Boswell had a stunner of a season in 2024, converting 41 field goals; 13 (of 15) of those kicks were from 50 or more yards. Boswell leads the NFL (career) in field goal percentage from 50 yards and beyond at nearly 83 percent.

Opposing teams have been unable to ice the ‘Wizard of Boz’ and, by successfully hitting over 88 percent of kicks in his career, Boswell is a proven veteran and valuable member of Danny Smith’s special teams group.

For camp, the Steelers brought in rookie kicker Ben Sauls (Pitt) who kicks left-footed. Sauls hit a game-winning field goal over Cincinnati during his senior season and tied the Pitt record (58-yard field goal) in a win over California. Sauls earned third-team All-ACC and first-team All-American honors for his play and was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.

Sauls will give Boswell the opportunity to prep for the season with less concern over injury.

Punters

Like Sauls, punter Corliss Waitman is also left-footed. Waitman showcased a unique spin on his punts last season that set up return errors for opponents that the Steelers special teams could exploit for turnovers and deep stops. Waitman posted a 46.4 yards per kick average for Pittsburgh after being called up to replace injured Cameron Johnston.

Johnston signed with the Steelers during the 2024 offseason and was on pace to redefine the team’s punting game until he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Steelers’ regular season opener. With a career punt average of just over 47 yards per attempt, Johnston looks to take over starter duties from Waitman following camp.

The good news for the Steelers is that they can stash a punter and kicker, if they want, on the practice squad as backup – and likely will.

Long-snappers

In a position that is by far nearly ignored despite its importance are long-snappers Christian Kuntz and Tucker Addington.

Kuntz, who has been with the Steelers for five seasons, has the upper hand in experience. He has proven to be an important anchor in the middle of the special teams line time and again.

Addington (Sam Houston State) may have just 10 NFL games’ experience, but he entered pro football in 2022 after going undrafted in the 2020 NFL draft; he started with the Houston Gamblers after being selected in the USFL supplemental draft. After 10 games with the Gamblers, Addington was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys and spent time on the practice squad before joining the New England Patriots.

In 2023, Addington spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Washington Commanders prior to the journeyman long-snapper going once again in New England before going to the Miami Dolphins and back to Jacksonville last season. Signed to a reserve/futures contract by the Houston Texans this February before being waved, Addington signed a one-year contract with the Steelers in late June.

For fans

Pittsburgh fielded one of the best special teams units – as a whole – in 2024. They allowed just 7.1 yards per punt return (ranked 6th) and blocked 3 field goal attempts (ranked 1st). They also recorded two game-changing special teams recoveries that made highlight reels.