Pittsburgh Steelers Stock Watch: Russell Wilson rises despite missing Week 1 of training camp
The Pittsburgh Steelers had an off day on Monday, with the return of padded football on tap for Latrobe on Tuesday. But before we look ahead and start making concrete conclusions on roster battles and depth chart positioning, it's always good to recap. So here are the Steelers seeing the biggest rise in their stock […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers had an off day on Monday, with the return of padded football on tap for Latrobe on Tuesday.
But before we look ahead and start making concrete conclusions on roster battles and depth chart positioning, it's always good to recap.
So here are the Steelers seeing the biggest rise in their stock after Week 1 of training camp.
QB Russell Wilson
Look, you're probably wondering how in the world someone who misses all four of the team's opening practices is a "Riser" but it's widely due to the QB situation.
Even if Justin Fields dominated all four days, it's safe to assume Mike Tomlin would have retained Wilson's pole positioning heading into Tuesday.
Instead, Fields was inconsistent over the week and struggled mightily on Sunday with what should have been two interceptions after throwing one to Donte Jackson and seeing Kalon Barnes drop another.
On top of that, sources within Pitsburgh's organization tell Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that they have no concern about Wilson's injury, viewing it as a tweak, and saying there is no need for a veteran QB to participate in what was essentially an extension of OTAs.
We'll see if he can win the week come next weekend.
CB Donte Jackson
Many believed that Pittsburgh lost the trade when they sent Pro Bowl WR Diontae Johnson to Carolina in exchange for Jackson, but through the early portion of camp, he's been great.
Jackson has forced multiple pass breakups on players like George Pickens and Van Jefferson and also recorded the first interception of camp as seen above. If he can remain healthy, Pittsburgh's secondary may quietly become one of the better in the league.
WR Roman Wilson
Wilson had a great start to camp, even running as the first-team slot WR over the weekend. He made the most of those opportunities, catching everything that was in his vicinity and often against the best defenders Pittsburgh had to offer on Saturday.
Look for him to mix in even more over the next two weeks.
DL DeMarvin Leal
Leal may have finally found his footing heading into year three with the Steelers. A "tweener," it's hard to fully hop aboard his hype train until the pads come on given his position, but he was active and impossible to ignore during Week 1.
P Cameron Johnston
Johnston might be a punter, but he was the talk of Latrobe on Saturday, booming multiple punts across the field. Pittsburgh acquired him to be a stable force in the special teams unit, and he's proving them right thus far.
