It is finally that part of the year when Pittsburgh Steelers fans set their attention on the small town of Latrobe, PA. That is where the organization will be attending their training camp. Jobs will be won and lost on those practice fields just as it's been for the majority of the club's existence. There is a lot of work to be down between training camp and the remainder of the pre-season.
Pittsburgh will have a lot of work to do across their coaching staff to decide on some final spots on the 53-man roster. In each camp there are a couple of different names that pop up that kind of surprise many. Players come out of the woodwork and impress to ride some momentum onto the roster and potentially build into a starting role on the club.
An unknown center could emerge as a depth piece for the Steelers
One of the question marks on the depth chart for the black and gold entering camp is the issue at center. Mason Cole has been a solid starter for this club, but those behind him are either unproven or show poor results in their prior experience. The Steelers could always look for a better option come final cuts from a different team, or perhaps someone unexpected will emerge.
Ryan McCollum is a name to watch when you investigate the daily training camp reports that are released. He is a young player that is a former undrafted free agent of the 2021 NFL Draft. He would solve a lot of issues if he could prove himself as a solid backup to Cole. He is relatively unknown heading into the pre-season, but he has been around the team since being claimed off waivers last year.
Safety could prove to be a vital position in the final roster construction
Safety is a position that could have a couple of situations play out at certain roles. Keanu Neal should be the starting strong safety on defense, but someone could always emerge from the shadows to try and take that spot. There are a couple of ways that some of these depth players could show the coaches that they deserve a spot on the roster and some playing time.
There is an ongoing issue at slot cornerback when it comes to potential solutions to that position. Patrick Peterson will get the first crack at solving that code, but there are a couple of players that could fill that spot. Damontae Kazee could also try some snaps there and Tre Norwood is another veteran that has shown some position flexibility in the past.
One name that has seemingly enjoyed offseason workouts to date is Elijah Riley. He has been with the Steelers since last season and could push for a roster spot. He has been in the NFL since 2020 as an undrafted free agent out of Army. He has expressed interest in trying for the slot opening no matter if that's as a starter or in a depth role.
Don't be shocked if Chandon Sullivan gets cut when final decisions need to be made. He might have the most experience in the slot, but that experience has not been the highest of quality. Riley could come into camp and find a way to show some position flexibility. After being up and down between Pittsburgh's practice squad and active roster, Riley seems set on getting on the roster full-time.
Training camp could lead to another surprise by an undrafted running back
Perhaps the best example of a player coming out of nowhere and making the roster is Jaylen Warren. Not only was he able to make the team after signing with the Black and Gold as an undrafted free agent, but he carved out a nice role for himself. There were points last season where Warren was the most effective running back on the team.
He is a perfect example of a player coming out of the woodwork and showing some quality in an area where the team is concerned. Sometimes the best answer is already on your club, they are just waiting for their opportunity to show it. The Steelers have another battle to round out their positional room at tailback heading into training camp.
Alfonzo Graham is a name to monitor closely as he is having a good offseason thus far heading into camp. The undrafted free agent out of Morgan State has been able to show a burst of speed in practices that has impressed many in attendance. He is a smaller back so it will be interesting if he can continue positive practices when pads go on.
Anthony McFarland Jr. seems to be the favorite to land the third job at running back, and that is a fair assumption. He has lost that job before, and it will be up to Graham to show the coaches enough to gain that roster spot. Both seem to be quality options and they will have to show extra specialty on special teams to win that final opening.
An XFL standout could shock the Steelers and make the team
One thing that will be interesting to watch across NFL training camps will be players coming back in the league from other professional ranks. No matter if these guys are attempting to make it back onto an NFL roster or trying their first time, it will be interesting to watch their progress. Both XFL and USFL players have signed with NFL clubs, and they could make some rosters.
The Steelers have not dipped too heavily into the USFL talent pool, but they have both tried out and signed XFL players. Hakeem Butler is a name to watch at receiver with the size and talent he showed for the St. Louis Battlehawks. He had a quality season there and it gave the black and gold enough interest to bring him into training camp.
Cornerback is another spot that added talent from the XFL with the addition of Luq Barcoo. He has been in the NFL before but was never able to stick around. He has the talent to defend receivers but needs to show that he can do it at the NFL level. Barcoo was the best cover corner in the XFL and graded out as one of their best.
There are a couple different spots in the secondary up for grabs, especially when it comes to the depth spots on the roster. Barcoo might not get a starting job at cornerback, but he should be able to get into a tight competition for the bottom of the roster. Many write off veteran guys at the bottom of the roster heading into camp, but Barcoo should apply some pressure.
A local Pittsburgh product could become a starter on defense
It is always interesting to see a player that grew up in the Pittsburgh area have a shot at making his hometown team. The Steelers have a lot of issues at middle linebacker, and it seems like Cole Holcomb is the only shot at being the top dog at the position. Besides Mark Robinson returning, the entire linebacker group is newly configured.
As stated above, Holcomb will be the likely No. 1 linebacker in the middle of this defense, but his partner in crime is still out there. Elandon Roberts will likely get a fair shake to get that spot and so too will Robinson. It is also possible that the black and gold look for alternatives that are not on the roster as potential upgrades.
One name that was added late and has not gotten a lot of attention going into training camp is Nick Kwiatkoski. He has a ton of starting experience in the NFL and could have a good camp, which would align him into the starter conversation. Another thing that might make him somewhat of interest to the fans is his local roots.
He attended West Virginia University, but he hails from his hometown of Bethel Park. Kwiatkoski is a name that is currently flying under the radar, but he has a ton of experience as a starter in this league and could be the new Robert Spillane in some instances. He is coming off two poor seasons and needs to prove himself again. He is not going to be a Pro Bowler, but he could shock many and win a starting job next to Holcomb out of camp.