'The Steelers Will Be An Absolute Handful;” Members Of 49ers Camp Issuing Warning To Team

As the Pittsburgh Steelers close the books on an undefeated 2023 preseason slate, their sights turn to the looming opening day match up against the San Francisco 49ers. Pittsburgh entered camp with an underlying sense of optimism and eagerness that wasn’t quite as present in 2022. There are a plethora of new names and faces joining the team for their first training camp in Latrobe to join a crew that has only gotten younger since Ben Roethlisberger retired. But, after rattling off three consecutive preseason wins, it looks like the team may already be in midseason form; and their opening week opponent is starting to notice.

The Steelers are set to host their first Week 1 game in Pittsburgh since the 2014 season. Further, this will be the first home opener in the young history of Acrisure Stadium. The Steelers and 49ers met early in the 2019 season, but the teams have seen tremendous roster overhauls since. Fans everywhere have already been able to see the connection between second-year players, Kenny Pickett and George Pickens and what that is going to potentially bring in 2023. Not to mention, the new ‘thunder and lightning’ running back tandem of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren is ready to bring an entirely new element to the offense that has been relatively lackluster for years.

The Steelers Will Undoubtably Be A Handful Against The 49ers

That firepower seems to have the 49ers camp already uncomfortable. The west coast team has had a turbulent camp series of their own after reaching the NFC Championship in 2022. Fellow second-year quarterback, Brock Purdy, has regained the starting spot after rehabbing a serious injury and the offense featuring Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle has seen early success in the preseason.

But, on the defensive side of the ball, the 49ers are expected to possibly be without the 2022 AP Defensive Player of the Year in Nick Bosa. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport joined Marcus and Mac on KNBR radio as the team completed their preseason schedule and expressed some concerns he has about Bosa’s availability in Week 1.

“For a deal to get done there has to be communication on all sides, there has to be back and forth on all sides, and there needs to be a willingness to do a deal,” Rapoport said. “It doesn’t sound like the conversation is very active. Nick Bosa knows what he wants, he knows his value. He knows what he values himself as and that’s what he thinks he should get. Until the 49ers get there, I’m not sure how much discussion there will be,” he continued. “Will he miss a game? I don’t know, but I will say this, if it’s possible for anyone to miss a game, Nick Bosa would be in the conversation. That family, as principled as they are, I can see it.”

That news bodes well for the Steelers and their offensive front. While the remainder of the San Francisco defense is still very good, the omission of Bosa could have similar effects as to what the Steelers see when TJ Watt misses playing time. In fact, it is that potential absence, and the new-look Steelers offense, that has some members of the 49ers camp already concerned about the looming September 10th matchup. 

While calling the team’s final preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers, the 49ers television duo of Greg Papa and Tim Ryan previewed the opening day game on the local CBS KPIX affiliate. Papa opened the conversation.

“I was talking with (Head Coach) Kyle (Shanahan) the other day, he knows how much of a challenge this Pittsburgh game is going to be in two weeks from Sunday,” Papa said. “Lit up Atlanta last night. Kenny Pickett played five offensive series [this preseason]. They scored a touchdown on every single one.”

Pickett has obviously caught the attention of a lot of eyes across the league after his impressive preseason performance. That performance includes the likes of a completion rate of 13 completions on 15 attempts for 199 passing yards, two touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 quarterback rating. Ryan added onto Papa’s comments to help round out how the camp is viewing the offense.

“You know they’ve got a run game with Najee Harris. They’ve got a high-octane passing attack. They’re going to try getting it down the field more, and Kenny Pickett was 5-2 in his last seven games with the Steelers last year. They are an ascending football team.”

Based off those comments, those close to the Steelers are no longer the only ones declaring the team as being on the rise. Looking on the other side of the ball, the Pittsburgh defense is looking to get back to their dominant, physically-imposing ways against opposing offenses. In the 2023 preseason, the defense allowed an average of just over 10 points per game with a collective four interceptions and 10 sacks. 

The defensive unit has looked to be glued together and completely revitalized. With that deep sense of talent and bottled tenacity fuming, the Steelers defense is ready for regular season action. Papa continued to highlight the matchup.

“Defense, they got TJ Watt, they got Alex Highsmith, a young pass rusher they just paid, Cam Heyward inside, and Markus Golden in the nickel as a pass rusher, and one of the best safeties in football in Minkah Fitzpatrick.”

Even though he only listed four names of the defense, the Steelers have arguably gotten better at every position on the defensive side of the ball since 2022. The team made a noticeable effort in revamping the inside linebacker room as well as the secondary. This complete gutting of the depth chart has been something we haven’t seen in quite some time, and it already looks like it is paying early dividends. Ryan concluded the pair’s remarks with a warning of his own to the 49ers.

“The Steelers will be an absolute handful.”

With cuts, trades, and finalized depth charts yet to be determined, the 49ers sit as 2.5-point favorites over the Steelers, based on multiple sportsbooks. Should Bosa continue his hold out and miss the team’s first game of the regular season, however, that may be enough to move the line back towards the home team’s favor.

Further, with this being Purdy’s first trip to Pittsburgh and this being a long-lost dream of Steelers fans in a home opener, the young passer may have early troubles in moving the ball. To cap off the 49ers continued worries, they are currently without a kicker, as both camp participants missed the final preseason game with injuries. Steeler Nation knows teams shouldn’t take the Steelers lightly in 2023, and it seems as though other teams’ camps are starting to catch onto that notion as well.