Steelers training camp day 4 takeaways: A star no one saw coming may have been born on defense following Week 1 in Latrobe
The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the grass for their 4th and final practice of Week 1 of training camp. After a slow Friday, the pace was ratcheted back up before the Steelers break on Sunday and the pads come on Monday.
The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up their fourth and final practice of week one at training camp Saturday in Latrobe, returning to full pace after a slower Friday session. Pittsburgh is off Sunday, and Monday marks the real beginning of camp when the pads come on for the first time. A to Z Sports will be there for the entirety of the week but before the action ramps up, here are the biggest takeaways from Saturday and from the first week of Steelers training camp as a whole.
Injury updates and roster moves
Still no Jalen Ramsey, no Joey Porter Jr., and no Donte Kent on Saturday. Steelers coach Mike McCarthy said there is a chance one or more of those players returns to practice next week.
The safety position took a hit, too. Neither DeShon Elliott nor Darnell Savage participated in 11-on-11 drills Saturday, per multiple reports. That could explain why the Steelers went out and signed former Jacksonville Jaguars safety Rayshawn Jenkins Saturday morning. Pittsburgh clearly needs depth at the position heading into the padded portion of camp.
Offensive line remains in flux, Spencer Anderson holds firm
The trenches continue to be a work in progress. Multiple reports and clips from Latrobe show the Steelers rotating different players in and out of the first grouping along the offensive line. But one player who has held firm, per Nick Farabaugh of Penn Live, is Spencer Anderson at right guard. How the rest of the line shakes out once the pads come on Monday will be worth watching closely.
TJ Watt picks off Aaron Rodgers, defense flashes
Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt put on a show Saturday, dropping back into coverage and picking off quarterback Aaron Rodgers early in practice. Nick Herbig tried to replicate the feat and came up short. Rodgers apparently let Herbig know about it, telling him that’s why he rushes the passer.
The truth is, though, the real defensive takeaway from these first four days and three full practices belongs to cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. He has been the biggest star of Steelers camp in Latrobe. Clip after clip has shown Samuel breaking up passes, making plays on the football, and breaking off his own coverage to find a different zone and come up with a play. He has been phenomenal for Pittsburgh, absolutely making the most of his opportunities.
Rookie defensive back Daylen Everette deserves a mention as well. Yes, everyone saw him go viral when DK Metcalf ripped the ball off his head during practice. That was a welcome-to-the-NFL moment. But Everette has been really good per most reports beyond that play, and his development is something to track going forward.
Asante Samuel Jr. career facts
- Played college football at Florida State.
- Drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Chargers.
- Father played 11 years in the NFL, winning two Super Bowls while earning four Pro Bowl nods and a first-team All-Pro season.
Camp battles: Rico Dowdle leads Jaylen Warren, Roman Wilson shines
Two position battles are taking shape early. At running back, Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren are competing for the RB No.1 spot. The pads haven’t come on yet, so it is hard to make definitive judgments. But right now, believe it or not, Dowdle appears to have the upper hand on the incumbent.
At the wide receiver No. 3 spot, it is almost the opposite story. Roman Wilson has been the offensive standout of camp so far. If Samuel has been the defensive star, Wilson has matched him on the other side of the ball. He has been all over the field making plays, and the Steelers even used him on jet sweeps Saturday. Wilson appears to have a leg up on rookie Germie Bernard, who has dealt with some early drops. That is a little surprising given how sure Bernard’s hands were at the University of Alabama, but those are likely just rookie jitters before things get real on Monday.
Monday will tell us a lot more about where these position battles stand and whether the early standouts can carry their momentum into the padded portion of camp.