We're finally back! After months of waiting, thousands of Steelers fans flooded the hills of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe for the first day of practice on Wednesday, while countless others took to social media to get a glimpse of what was happening during practice.
The Steelers have a long training camp ahead of them, and we don't want to read too deeply into performances this early in camp. Having said that, fans want to know what's happening on the practice field with some of the young guys and the veterans.
Based on the early training camp buzz, here are the players who stood out either in a positive or negative light on Day 1 of Steelers training camp.
The biggest winners and losers from the first day of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp
Winner: CB Asante Samuel Jr.
Asante Samuel is finally looking like the player Steelers fans hoped he would be for this team. The second-generation cornerback and former second-round pick of the Chargers had a quiet second half of the 2025 season with Pittsburgh, but he might have been the star of Day 1 of Steelers camp.
Samuel had two pass breakups that were captured by fans in the stands. The shifty cornerback broke on the ball quickly, and it seemed like he was reading the play before it happened. It was a strong opening day for Samuel, who's entering his second season with the team.
Winner: LB Patrick Queen
After a rough end to the 2025 season, it was nice to see Patrick Queen have a great first practice. Like Saumel, Queen also had a pair of passes defended. On one coverage snap in the end zone, Queen batted the ball up in the air, and it was picked off by a teammate. Let's hope that this is a sign that Queen's struggles in coverage could end in 2026.
Winner: OT Broderick Jones
Broderick Jones is a winner for the sheer fact that he took the field and avoided the dreaded PUP list. Jones is just months removed from spinal fusion surgery, and the media wondered if he was going to be available to begin practice.
Jones didn't necessarily have a notable peformance, and it's important to note that this is the NFL rampup period, so there's not much contact, but it's a major win that he's healthy enough to be on the field as a full participant.
Winner: WR Brandon Smith
By all accounts, Brandon Smith was one of the winners of Day 1 of Steelers camp. The 27-year-old receiver is looking to catch on, and he made his mark with several impressive plays. If he's to have any shot at cracking the roster, he'll need to keep these performances coming.
Winner: QB Drew Allar
From all the reports from Day 1, Drew Allar could probably be on either list, but I'll slot him on the winners' side. Though the third-round rookie quarterback had some errant throws and a tipped pass that resulted in an interception, he was also willing to sling the ball over the middle and down the field.
This resulted in two big touchdowns, including a touchdown down the seam on the final play of practice.
Loser: WR Roman Wilson
Despite making a diving catch and showing off his acceleration, there were multiple reports of miscues between Roman Wilson and starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers. This isn't what you want to hear about on Day 1 of Steelers training camp, especially coming off a disappointing season in which he was a healthy scratch down the stretch.
Loser: WR Germie Bernard
Like Wilson, Bernard struggled to get on the same page with Rodgers. We'll obviously show some grace to the second-round rookie as he gets up to speed, but we would have hoped for a stronger start—even if it was just the first practice.
Loser: DB Jalen Ramsey
We had a feeling this was coming, but it's not a good sign to see Jalen Ramsey on the sideline. Ramsey suffered a knee injury earlier in the summer. Though he avoided surgery, it sounds like the Steelers are being cautious with him.
Still, the veteran could miss a few weeks, which means he might not see the field at all this training camp. This isn't ideal, considering he's got a new defensive coordinator this year.
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