With training camp just around the corner for the Steelers, here are four Steelers that could become camp stars.
Training camp is one of the most exciting times in the league, as a slew of unknown and unproven players get a chance to showcase their skills. Usually, teams will have a handful of players look great in shorts and thus gain some buzz in camp. These players don’t always pan out (I’m looking at you Justin Hunter), but sometimes these stars in camp translate into active roles on the roster. Here are four Steelers that may become training camp stars.
Steelers Durant
The Steelers have some major question marks at their running back position once you get past Najee Harris on the depth chart. While he is the unquestioned bell-cow back, he has no one behind him to step in if he were injured or even to give him some snaps off. A name that could step up is Mataeo Durant whom the Steelers added as an undrafted free agent this offseason.
Durant is a different style of back than what the Steelers usually rely on. He is on the slenderer side of things, but that helps with his speed on the field. Add in his ability to catch passes out of the backfield and you have a relatively complete back on paper. He doesn’t create much on his own, but he can be dangerous in open space.
The Steelers are lacking a back like that. Harris and even Benny Snell are both your traditional power backs while Anthony McFarland, a similar player to Durant, has failed to carve out a role. If Durant can provide some splash in camp and during the preseason, he could easily latch on with this offense. At the very least, his speed should make him a player to watch during training camp.
Steelers Johnson
A rookie from last year’s class, Buddy Johnson has very little guaranteed to him heading into his second season in the league. In what appears to be an extremely crowded off-ball linebacker room, Johnson has to find some way to distinguish himself as both a defensive player and an option on special teams.
What should benefit Johnson is his athleticism as a linebacker. Despite possessing good size, Johnson tested extremely well as an athlete in college. That should benefit him during training camp when athletic players tend to look good. Add in his physical nature as a run stopper and there is a lot to be excited about with Johnson heading into year two.
Frankly, Johnson will probably need to look good as his competition is pretty fierce. If he can show more than just speed though and start making an impact, he could carve out a role though. That all said, he could easily become a favorite in camp if his athleticism and hard-hitting nature are on display.
Steelers Skipper
A name that made this list a few years ago because he was a camp darling, Tuzar Skipper will be making his third appearance for the Steelers in training camp. During his first stint, he was extremely efficient at creating pressure, but his lack of special teams’ ability ended up getting him cut. A stint in New York and later with the Titans and Skipper now finds himself in Pittsburgh again.
Considering how thin the Steelers edge depth is, don’t be surprised to see Skipper step back up as valuable depth for this team. While the starters are set for this season, the back jobs are wide open. Skipper even said that he has more experience as a special teams player now. If that is true, he could quickly work his way up the depth chart.
One just has to think about his rookie training camp where, as an undrafted free agent, he racked up a healthy number of sacks. It has been quite a few years since he was the exciting undrafted free agent, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t recapture that type of excitement again. Don’t be surprised to see Skipper gain some traction with another strong camp.
Steelers Pickens
While rookies don’t always have instant success in the NFL, a player like George Pickens could quickly establish himself as a top name in the Steelers camp. Players built like him tend to do that, as the height weight and speed aspect of their game do well when matched up in practice. While he will be raw in many aspects of his game, he could still look good once camp opens.
Of all of the names on this list, Pickens becoming a training camp phenom would likely indicate that he has a good future with the team ahead of him. As their second-round pick and a pick that most expected to go earlier than when the Steelers got him, Pickens could quickly work his way up the depth chart if he looks like a beast in camp.
While one could put Miles Boykin here as well given his size and speed, this really should be the Pickens show in training camp. Don’t be surprised to see him dominate early as he uses his rare combination of size and speed to make big plays. There are a lot of reasons to be excited about Pickens as a player, and he should start to pay that off once training camp opens.
While success in training camp in no way ensures a player will be successful during the regular season, it can lead to a roster spot and potentially an expanded role with a team. Some may fizzle out afterward, but others could develop into key players. Keep an eye on these four potential camp phenoms once training camp opens.