With organized team activities now wrapping up, there were clear winners and losers for the Pittsburgh Steelers. For the most part, OTAs will not play a major role in shaping final roster decisions, but they can still carry weight if certain trends continue into training camp and the preseason.
That said, plenty of intriguing storylines and notable developments emerged along the way.
Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington both secured contract extensions, and those deals could create tension with other Steelers players seeking new contracts while raising questions about the long-term futures of other key contributors. OTAs introduced several different storylines in Pittsburgh, and some of them could have a lasting impact on the team throughout the rest of the football calendar.
Pittsburgh Steelers have clear winners and loser coming out of their grueling OTAs
Loser: Alex Highsmith
Few players had a tougher stretch than Alex Highsmith, who watched Nick Herbig’s extension potentially jeopardize his long-term future with the Steelers.
Pittsburgh can only invest so much in its edge rushers, and with Herbig now secured, it is becoming increasingly clear that Highsmith could be gone within the next year. A trade remains a realistic possibility, even if it does not come until after the season.
Loser: Joey Porter Jr.
There was nothing particularly concerning about Joey Porter Jr. during OTAs, and in fact, he did very little physical work overall. The more notable development was watching Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington secure lucrative contract extensions while he continues to wait for his own.
All signs still point to the Steelers and Porter eventually agreeing on a significant deal, but with training camp approaching, the window to get it done is beginning to narrow.
Loser: Drew Allar
Neither OTAs nor minicamp went particularly well for rookie Drew Allar, but that was to be expected. The Steelers are rebuilding him from the ground up, which naturally brings some growing pains along. Allar threw a few interceptions during practice, but he also showed flashes of improvement. He has little chance of starting a game this season, and the challenges are unlikely to ease anytime soon.
WInner: Roman Wilson
A big winner coming out of OTAs and heading into training camp is Roman Wilson. This is a critical season for the third-year receiver out of Michigan. Time is starting to run short for Wilson to prove his value in Pittsburgh, but after a strong showing during minicamp and OTAs, he has positioned himself to compete for a significant role in the offense.
His absence from their final OTA session aside, he has had the summer fans were hoping for. It's a make-or-break preseason for him.
Winner: Nick Herbig
After signing a massive contract extension to remain in Pittsburgh long-term, Nick Herbig emerged as one of the biggest winners during OTAs.
He earned a significant pay raise and now appears firmly in the Steelers’ plans for the foreseeable future. His extension also raises questions about the potential of trading Alex Highsmith at some point down the line. For now, however, Pittsburgh benefits from having a strong rotation of four edge rushers.
Winner: Darnell Washington
Beyond the re-signing of Nick Herbig, Darnell Washington also emerged as a major winner following his new deal. There may be some concern coming out of OTAs due to the amount of weight Washington has added, but he played at a high-level last season while weighing over 300 pounds. He appears well positioned for another strong year in Pittsburgh.
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