With the preseason officially over and cutdowns right around the corner, it is a great time to reflect on the Steelers offseason program and performances. While camp has players rise up and fall down the ranks every season, the time to prove it is over. Every team will have to make some tough decisions.
I’ve compiled my list of the top winners and losers from training camp, as well as an honorable mention for each slot. Being a winner or loser doesn’t guarantee a roster spot, but they are the players who have seen their stock move the most since camp began. With all of that said, here are the five winners and losers from Pittsburgh's preseason.
Steelers honorable mention: Najee Harris (loser) and Jaylen Warren (winner)
I wanted to add both of these names somewhere, but ultimately I feel like they didn’t do enough either way to really impact their standing. Starting off with my winner, Jaylen Warren did everything that you wanted a second-year running back to do.
He entered camp entrenched as the top backup, and the Steelers valued him enough to limit his contact. Add in some solid performances in the preseason and Warren appears set for an increased role on this team. He is firmly a “1B” option at running back for this team.
Najee Harris, meanwhile, lost a lot of ground this offseason. The team let him take it easy, but even when he was on the field in practice and in games, it was a lot of the same inefficiencies that have plagued him so far in his career.
No, Harris isn’t getting benched, but I do think that he will see even more of a timeshare with Warren. I see both as co-starters, which is both a boost for Warren as well as a knock on Harris. That being said, I am excited to see how both contribute to this offense this season.
Steelers fifth biggest loser: Zach Gentry
It hasn’t been a great offseason for the veteran tight end. It took him a while to circle back to the Steelers, and his contract is pretty cheap considering the tight-end market. They followed that up by drafting a falling Darnell Washington in the third round of the draft.
Considering Washington has considerable upside as a receiver and is arguably the better blocker, it has left many wondering just what Gentry’s role will be in 2023. While I have established myself as a part of the Zach Gentry fan club, his role on the team is murky at best. At this point, his roster odds have to be seen as questionable.
Connor Heyward looks like he is going to be used all over the field, and that includes being a tight end even if he lacks the size for it. Washington should take the mantle as the top backup and blocking expert, and that leaves Gentry as a distant fourth option in a position where they may only keep three players.
Had Gentry shown up to camp and dominated like he did a few offseasons ago, there wouldn’t be an issue right now. The Steelers would be locked into keeping four tight ends and utilizing multiple tight end sets. It was a very average camp for Gentry though, and I wouldn’t write his roster spot in pen quite yet.
Assuming he isn’t cut, he is almost a lock to be a weekly inactive unless there is an injury. Let’s be clear, Gentry wasn’t going to be more than an average backup, but he seems to have even lost that role without much of a fight. It was a poor summer for Gentry, and he finds himself squarely on the roster bubble because of all of this.
Steelers fifth biggest winner: George Pickens
Let me be clear upfront, you could easily make the argument that George Pickens had the best training camp overall. The second-year receiver picked up where he left off as a rookie. He has some of the best hands I have ever seen, and his body control is second to none. It wasn’t a shock to see him snag so many difficult passes with ease.
The reason he only finds himself fifth on this list is due to expectations. Pickens entered camp entrenched as the starter at receiver, and everyone knew the type of catches he was capable of. He hasn’t shot up the depth chart, as his role on the team figures to be the same even after a successful training camp period.
The reason Pickens lands on this list is that, in addition to his strong showing in drills, Pickens also showed a lot of development in areas that he lacked as a rookie. One of his main issues as a receiver was his lack of diversity in routes and his ability after the catch. He showed both of those things in his touchdown catch against the Buccaneers and flashed that in camp.
While his calling card will still be his ability to win deep, Pickens has shown progress as a receiver. I expect a big year out of him not just because he can make insane catches, but because he can run a more complete route tree and be more than just a one-dimensional threat. He may not have shot up the depth chart, but he certainly had a strong showing in training camp.
Steelers fourth biggest loser: Mason Rudolph
I was certainly surprised when the Steelers announced that they had agreed to a new contract with veteran quarterback Mason Rudolph. With Kenny Pickett locked in as the starter and Mitch Trubisky entrenched as the backup, Rudolph settling for a third-string role seemed unlikely. This was especially true considering he is playing on a veteran minimum contract.
What I also didn’t expect was for Rudolph to struggle so much in camp. A season ago he was arguably the best quarterback in camp, but he never got even remotely close to that level this year. He was constantly missing receivers and throwing interceptions. His play didn’t improve in the preseason games much either.
While his roster spot seems safe, I do see a scenario where he ultimately is cut. There will be a slew of veteran quarterbacks cut in the coming days, and with the top two spots locked up at quarterback, the team could take a chance on a name they liked as their third-string option. This would lead to Rudolph getting the axe.
There clearly wasn’t a market for Rudolph given his return and contract with Pittsburgh. While it seems very likely that Rudolph will stick around for another season, I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a different name manning the spot after cutdowns. It was a lackluster showing and a tough offseason for the veteran quarterback.
Steelers fourth biggest winner: Spencer Anderson
It was pretty funny to see so many Steelers fans pan the team for selecting Spencer Anderson in the seventh round of the draft. It seemed like he was the only name that people didn’t recognize out of a strong draft class, so he was quickly labeled the worst pick. On top of this, no one knew where Anderson would end up playing along the line.
He answered that question pretty quickly once training camp opened, and the answer turned out to be anywhere. He has taken snaps, in practice at least, at all five positions along the line, and while he has some better positions than others, he has looked competent everywhere that he has played.
While versatile linemen aren’t uncommon, it is rare to see a rookie be given so many responsibilities and succeed. Playing left side or right side is a huge deal for most players, and sliding from tackle to guard is even harder. Anderson is doing all of that in single games and practices, and his play hasn’t missed a beat.
At this point, it seems unlikely that Anderson will miss the roster. He appears to be a backup tackle and guard and also is lined up to be the emergency center for this team. Not only is his roster spot safe, but he could also dress for games given just how many positions he can play. Anderson is the rare rookie lineman who will back up almost every position this season.
Steelers third biggest loser: Mark Robinson
Typically, teams don’t like to completely overhaul single positions, as having faces familiar with the system and process is beneficial for new names that join the team. This wasn’t the case for the Steelers and the linebacker position, as the only returning name from a season ago is Mark Robinson, and even he isn’t locked into a roster spot yet.
This wasn’t an immediate issue either, as while the team added three linebackers in free agency, only two of them figured to be core defenders, and Cole Holcomb was the only one locked into a starter role. The expectation was still for Robinson to compete for a starting gig. That was still the case even after Nick Kwiatkoski was signed, although Robinson’s role was once again even murkier.
The real blow was Kwon Alexander. The Steelers added him shortly after training camp opened up, and he has been everything as advertised and then some. He was constantly making an impact on defense and figures to be in rotation with the top two names at the position. Robinson is now squarely on the roster bubble.
Even if he makes the roster, Robinson will likely be a weekly inactive unless there is an injury. There will be three names rotating in on defense and another special teams body. While Robinson can play on special teams, players like Kwiatkoski and Tanner Muse make their living off of it.
Robinson truly is a victim of circumstance this year. He didn’t do anything on his end to damage his cause, but the team wanted to go in a different direction apparently at linebacker. To go from competing for a starting role to now a likely weekly inactive is a tough blow to deal with through preseason.
Steelers third biggest winner: Dan Moore
Given the circumstances of how the offseason went, it would be hard to count Dan Moore as a true winner. The Steelers once again committed to bettering their offensive line and traded up in the first round to draft Broderick Jones. Even if he doesn’t start right away, Jones is the left tackle of the future, meaning Moore will either be benched or be forced to move to the right side.
Even after the selection was made, Moore was open and honest about everything. He was very vocal about their still being a competition, and he planned on making Jones earn the starting gig. While he talked in a competitive manner, he was also more than willing to aid in Jones’ development. Both have been working together for most of training camp.
While the early results weren’t great, Moore found his footing and quickly became arguably the best tackle for this team through camp. Has he been perfect? Is he suddenly an elite starter? Both answers are no, but Moore has once again taken some steps forward, and he will likely be the starting left tackle out of the gate. Even more important, Moore could be counted on to play on the right side next season assuming Jones is the left tackle.
His willingness to compete (unlike a Kevin Dotson) as well as his willingness to step up and help the rookie that will eventually take his job is commendable. Add in the good play and development through camp and Moore has done everything you could have wanted. He has earned the right to start, and he has also proven just how good of a teammate he is.
Steelers second biggest loser: Le’Raven Clark
On the flip side of things, Le’Raven Clark easily finds himself among the biggest losers from training camp. No, the expectations were never that high, but Clark has quite a bit of NFL experience and was expected to push for the fourth tackle role on this team. He had a clear path to the roster because of this.
It became apparent early in training camp that even though a spot was in front of him, he may not be ready to take it. Clark was the test subject for Nick Herbig early on, and the results weren’t pretty. Herbig constantly beat Clark in practice. Given the size difference and the fact that Herbig is a fourth-round rookie, it wasn’t a good look.
These troubles continued for Clark during practice and in preseason games. Despite having all of the physical tools you could want, he fails to generate much push in the run game and is bullied when asked to pass block. Anderson jumped him early in camp despite the fact that Anderson is geared more to the inside, and it seems like unknown Dylan Cook has also passed Clark on the depth chart.
While the lack of quality linemen in the league could allow Clark to stick around somewhere, at least on a practice squad, his training camp has been horrible. A veteran of his stature shouldn’t be getting beaten by relative unknowns and rookies on every play. The writing is on the wall, and Clark killed his chances of sticking with this team.
Steelers second biggest winner: Connor Heyward
Connor Heyward has continued to defy expectations since he was drafted. Taken in the sixth round, the immediate expectation was that he would make the quick shift to fullback given his small size. There was even talk that he could move into the running back room, as the Steelers like bigger tight ends.
Not only did he stick at tight end as a rookie, but he made an impact there later in the season. He is a good route runner and has deceptively good hands. No, he can’t block on the edge against bigger defenders, but he works well in space and is an asset with the ball in his hands.
With no true fullback on the roster, the expectation this offseason once again was a full-time move to that spot. Again, Heyward has proven that he is more than that. While he has lined up as an H-Back at times, he hasn’t done a lot of true fullback work. That role seems to have shrunk, and I expect the Steelers to use Heyward in a variety of ways because of it.
At this point, Heyward will likely see work at tight end, H-back, fullback, running back, and even out of the slot on offense. Add in his impressive ability on special teams and you have a chess piece that adds value in a wide variety of ways. He has shown off his ability to make plays everywhere and has taken quite a few steps forward in his second camp.
Steelers biggest loser: Kendrick Green
It was yet another training camp and preseason to forget for Kendrick Green. The former third-round pick has seemingly tried his hand at every feasible position but has always come up short. His center skills have been poor, he tried to return to his natural position of guard last year and is now back at center.
There was promise early on. Green was taking snaps as the second center in early workouts, but he was quickly phased out for Nate Herbig. He was constantly getting beaten in similar ways that he always has. Games were even worse, as he looked lost at times and was a constant source of frustration.
Then there was a brief glimmer of hope. Green began taking snaps at fullback and didn’t look half bad there. For the first time since his rookie season, fans were in his corner and actually rooting for him. The hope was that, maybe, he could carve out a role as a hybrid fullback and backup center on gameday.
That never materialized as I predicted. Green continued to see snaps at center, and the whole fullback thing seemed more like a distraction than anything else. At this point, his roster odds seem slim, and while a permanent move to fullback may prolong his career, it likely won’t be in Pittsburgh. There was a slight glimmer of hope, but Green seems to have put the final nail in his Steelers coffin.
Steelers biggest winner: Nick Herbig
I mean, could it really be anyone else? Nick Herbig was my least favorite draft pick once the class settled. I liked his want to, but his size had me concerned. Small edge rushers are a rare thing in the NFL, and the Steelers especially like their pass rushers on the bigger side of things. I fully expected him to struggle and eventually shift inside.
Herbig has done everything right from day one though. He entered camp and was one of the first names to make noise. He was a force off the edge, and his speed in particular was a highlight of his game. He was beating blockers daily, and while the hype was building, I still found myself skeptical.
He has completely exceeded my expectations. He played in all three preseason games and made an impact in one way or another. From sacks to fumbles, his play in practice translated onto the field, which isn’t something everyone can say. He has certainly shut me up about my doubts about him sticking at edge rusher.
At this point, the Steelers would be wise to try and get him some defensive snaps sooner rather than later. No, he won’t be a starter, and veteran edge rusher Markus Golden should be the primary backup, but Herbig has earned a chance to play on defense this season. He easily won camp this year, and is one of the bigger preseason winners in recent years.
With preseason and training camp wrapped up, the Steelers are set to finalize their roster. While there were a lot of ups and downs, these five winners and losers did the most for or against their stock with the team as final cutdowns loom.