Camp Is Over, And It Ended A Day Early
Steelers training camp is officially in the books. Mike McCarthy's first camp at Saint Vincent College wrapped up a day early this year, thanks to the weather, and the team is already back at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex getting ready for the stretch run into September.
I've been reading everything coming out of Latrobe, and here's my honest read. There's a lot to like. There's one thing I keep coming back to that I don't like at all.
The Quarterback Room Is Actually Interesting Now
Let's start with the obvious. Aaron Rodgers is the starter. That was never really in doubt, and at 42 he's not moving like he used to, but he can still sling it and he sees the game at a level most guys never will. The part that's surprised people is what he's doing for the young quarterbacks in that room.
Will Howard and Drew Allar both had big moments in the preseason opener against Green Bay, and the coaching staff has been pretty open about how much Rodgers is helping those two. That's not nothing. A 42 year old future Hall of Famer who actually leans into mentoring the next guy instead of protecting his turf is rare, and it's paying off.
The numbers from that Packers game tell the story. Mason Rudolph went 10 of 11 for 93 yards. Howard went 7 of 9 for 86. And Allar, the rookie third rounder from Penn State, went 10 of 13 for 153 yards with two touchdown passes and a rushing score. None of the three threw a pick. That's a clean night for the whole room.
Allar is the one I'm most excited about. The game didn't look too fast for him, which is the thing that usually eats rookies alive, and the footwork adjustments the coaches made have clearly stuck. I'm not saying he's the future starter tomorrow. I am saying the Steelers might have actually found a real developmental quarterback for once, which hasn't exactly been this franchise's specialty.
Here's The Thing That Scares Me
The offensive line.
The Steelers beat Green Bay 28-9 and still, the rushing attack averaged 2.8 yards per carry. Two point eight. Against a preseason defense. The starting unit stayed on the field for most of the first half and had some genuinely ugly moments before the backups took over.
Trai Essex, who won a couple Super Bowls in Pittsburgh, said the line needs a lot more reps before it's ready. That's the quote that stuck with me. A guy who knows what championship offensive line play looks like is not handing out a clean grade, and that should worry you.
The starting five right now is Troy Fautanu, Mason McCormick, Zach Frazier, Spencer Anderson and Dylan Cook. The right side of that line is still being sorted out, and Broderick Jones is sitting behind Fautanu. This is the part of the roster that decides whether the season is real or not, and it's the least settled part of the whole team.
The Receivers Are Deeper Than I Expected
This is the good surprise. DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. are the headliners, but Roman Wilson in his third year has shown he can play all three receiver spots, and that matters in McCarthy's offense. He's running routes with confidence and actually separating.
And then there's Kaden Wetjen, the rookie returner who caught two balls for 79 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay, including a 74 yard catch and run from Allar. The kid looks electric. But McCarthy was quick to pump the brakes, and honestly I respect that more than the highlight.
McCarthy said they've got to get Wetjen to clean up his everyday stuff, the mental errors. That's the right message. One splash play doesn't make a roster, and a fourth round returner is going to have to prove he can handle assignments and alignment before he gets real snaps.
The Backup Quarterback Question
This is the quiet storyline nobody's fully answered. The Steelers are carrying four quarterbacks, and McCarthy was honest that the huddle communication and tempo weren't super clean in the opener. The real question is whether Howard is ready to be the backup, which would make Mason Rudolph expendable.
Rudolph offers experience and has won games here. Howard is steadier and already has a year of mental reps. Allar is the long term project. Keeping all four on the roster is a real conversation the front office is sorting through right now, and it's one of those decisions that feels boring in August and becomes huge in October if Rodgers takes a hit.
Where I Land
I came into camp wanting to see two things. A quarterback room with a pulse beyond Rodgers, and an offensive line that looked like it could actually block somebody.
I got one of the two. The quarterback depth is genuinely better than I thought it'd be, and the young receivers give this offense a ceiling it hasn't had in a while.
The offensive line is still the thing I can't shake. Two point eight yards a carry, and a former champion lineman saying the starters need a lot more work. That's the kind of problem that shows up as a 20-17 loss in November and everyone acts surprised, when really it was sitting right there in the preseason film.
