Early Camp Breakouts Must Become Week 1 Contributors
Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Training camp has officially opened for the Pittsburgh Steelers, which officially means “FOOTBALL IS BACK.” The excitement surrounding camp from fans and players in Latrobe, PA at St. Vincent College can’t be understated.
Oftentimes, training camp is where surprises show up in the places the team least expects them. While most organizations are hopeful that they have their starting lineup in place, they are more than willing to be pleasantly surprised by guys who are lower on the depth chart, or perhaps by a jump from a player who has been a bit of a development project.
Well, that’s the case for most teams, anyway. Mike Tomlin is the ultimate Veteran’s Coach, and it takes a lot for him to trust in his rookies and young players. We saw that notably with Tomlin slow-rolling Broderick Jones last season, and even not showing that full trust this offseason. Defensive tackle Keeanu Benton, their second-round pick in 2023, was healthy for all 17 games, but played just 43% of the snaps.
That’s not going to cut it this season. There are some holes to fill on a defense that skews older, and 30-plus-year-olds like Cam Heyward, Tyler Matakevich, Damontae Kazee, and yes, even T.J. Watt would benefit from help to keep fresh over a long season. There are two things that need to happen: Players need to step up, and Tomlin needs to believe in them when they show potential.
The first part of the equation is already in place, as there are already intriguing names that have come to the forefront early on in camp. Some are first-year players. Some are young veterans. Whatever their experience level is, the key is to be consistent and harness their good play in a way that translates to game day, right away. Let’s take a look at some guys that have flashed early, that need to use camp as a springvault to becoming contributors for Pittsburgh in the 2024 season.
Beanie Bishop is probably the biggest example of a player stepping up. The Steelers have a huge hole in their starting slot corner position after the NFL suspended Cam Sutton for eight games. through the first five practices, Bishop has shown enough to already be on the first-unit defense.
Bishop has the quick-twitch ability that is a must-have to defend slot receivers, as well as the physicality to re-route receivers after their initial release from the line of scrimmage. If he continues to excel, this will mean the Steelers have found the diamond in the rough they are looking for. There was talk of possibly bringing in a free agent, or even making a trade in Sutton’s absence. Such a trade could be costly in both dollars and draft capital. Having Bishop earn that spot eliminates the dire need to make some of those costly decisions.
Next up is Payton Wilson, the 2024 third-round pick, who has a real shot to be the starter next to Patrick Queen at inside linebacker. His athleticism and football IQ are both off the charts, and he has been a sponge when it comes to learning, never having to be told something twice. That is an invaluable trait in your first training camp.
The rookie out of NC State has been flying all over the defense and has been splitting first-team reps with Elandon Roberts. It’s one of the more intriguing position battles the Steelers have this offseason. Roberts may wind up being the Week 1 starter, yet Wilson should see his fair share of snaps in 2024.
Lastly, DeMarvin Leal has finally shown the flashes that intrigued the Steelers when they drafted him in the third round of the 2022 draft. The Texas A&M product has had a slow start to his career, especially last season, which saw him fall out of favor in the rotation.
The Steelers took another defensive lineman, Logan Lee, in the fifth round of the 2024 Draft. Many took it as a sign that the team was ready to move on from Leal, but the third-year lineman from San Antonio has responded as a professional should. He is in better shape, looking more powerful at the point of attack and chasing down players from the backside. These are all things he struggled with in his first two seasons. Leal continuing this dominating play would be a much-needed boost to a veteran-laden defensive line.
These breakouts are exciting, but they must be sustained, and they must translate to Sundays this fall. It’s one thing to be a “Camp All-Pro,” and it’s another to be a real contributor. All three need to be ready to contribute for Week 1, and they’re showing right now that they can solve a lot of minor, but important issues on the depth chart. As they do their part, Tomlin must do his, too. All indications show the Pittsburgh Steelers may have found their diamonds in the rough. It’s up to him to put that final polish on them now, then let them go out and do what Pittsburgh drafted them to do.
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