Steelers training camp recap: Rookie suffers injury early on, under-the-radar starter makes a name, offense struggles in Latrobe
The Pittsburgh Steelers were back on the grass and in full pads after a private practice on Wednesday, and it was a sloppy day for the offense. That and much more from day three of padded practice in Latrobe.
Day 3 of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp in pads has wrapped up in Latrobe, and the defense stole the show. From dominant one-on-one reps on the offensive line to a suffocating run defense that swallowed nearly everything the Steelers offense threw at it, the defensive side of the ball controlled the afternoon. But one offensive lineman quietly put together the most impressive individual performance of the day.
Dylan Cook is making a serious case at right tackle
The story of the day might be offensive tackle Dylan Cook. Ever since the pads came on at training camp, Cook has been pitching a shutout. During one-on-one pass rush drills, he held his own against pass rushers like T.J. Watt, Jack Sawyer, and Nick Herbig. Cook went to work against all of them and looked phenomenal doing it.
Pittsburgh needs that kind of reliability on the offensive line, especially given the early scare at the position. Rookie first-round pick Max Iheanachor left practice with what appeared to be a shoulder issue after trainers escorted him off the field.
Key training camp dates remaining
- Steelers night practice (Saturday, August 8).
- First preseason game (Thursday, August 13).
- Camp breaks (Monday, August 17).
The defense was all over the field
Beyond the offensive line, the offense struggled. Miscommunication plagued the unit throughout the session, and false starts disrupted rhythm. The Steelers tried to hammer the run during 11-on-11 team periods, team run drills, and even the 2-minute drill, but they could rarely get anything going outside of a run from Jaylen Warren or Kaleb Johnson here and there. The defense racked up a ton of tackles for loss in the backfield, blowing up plays before they had a chance to develop.
It tracks with what veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward recently said on the Pat McAfee Show (yes, he was on there too despite all the Aaron Rodgers drama): “If this defense can stop the run, they will be the best in the league.”
If the defense stops the run in games the way it did on this afternoon in Latrobe, Heyward might be right.
DK Metcalf and Aaron Rodgers continue to build chemistry
The one bright spot for the offense beyond Cook’s dominance came from the connection between wide receiver DK Metcalf and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The two continue to light up training camp heading into their second year together, and the chemistry is on another level. Rodgers seemingly knows where Metcalf is going to be at any given time, and the plays they’re making together have become a daily highlight.
The defense controlled this practice from start to finish, and that’s not a bad thing for a Steelers team built on that side of the ball. Cook’s continued emergence at right tackle is worth monitoring closely, and the Rodgers-to-Metcalf connection looks like it could be special in 2026. The offense as a whole, though, has work to do before the regular season arrives.
