McCorkle: Five Steelers Entering Make Or Break Training Camp Competitions

The Pittsburgh Steelers will walk into Latrobe Pennsylvania with a 90-man roster at the end of July, but they will walk out of camp with a 53-man roster. There are competitions taking place at every position on the team, whether it’s to be the starter or the backup. It is also a young man’s game, so players entering year three or four of their contract who have barely been clinging to the back end of the roster have an increased level of pressure. It can be the difference between millions of dollars on a second contract, and it all starts with earning a job at training camp.

Here are the four most intriguing training camp competitions that can make or break the trajectory of these players’ young careers.

Calvin Austin III

Most of the reports out of OTAs and minicamp were overwhelmingly positive on Austin, but it is always important to temper expectations before the pads come on. His rookie season was robbed by a foot injury, and his second season was held back by an anemic offense that could not support multiple receivers in the passing game.

His roster spot probably isn’t at risk, but the team did add multiple options with similar skill sets in Quez Watkins and Scotty Miller. This is going to be his best chance to seize control of a starting receiver job entering the third year of his contract. If the Steelers enter the season with what they have and things don’t work out well, then they will certainly be adding to the room next offseason, and that will further bury him on the depth chart for the final season of his rookie contract.

Spencer Anderson

He is only in year two, but the Steelers added three high draft picks to the offensive line. Anderson is moving to guard, but that pits him against Mason McCormick and Nate Herbig. The Steelers kept eight offensive linemen in 2022 and nine in 2023, but both years carried just five interior guys. McCormick and Herbig have some versatility to play at center. Anderson might need to show that same ability in order to secure his roster spot. He did play at all three spots in college, so that helps his case. There is a chance he ends up on the practice squad. If nobody signs him away from Pittsburgh, he could be interior depth in 2025 with Herbig and James Daniels’ contracts expiring.

Rodney Williams

This isn’t the flashiest name to include on the list, but Williams has a large opportunity ahead of him to be a part of Arthur Smith’s tight end-friendly system. The Steelers have kept just three tight ends on the initial 53-man roster for the last two seasons, but Smith’s teams in Atlanta kept four. I would imagine the Steelers will follow suit with increased usage of 12 and 13 personnel.

His primary competition is going to be the 32-year-old free agent addition MyCole Pruitt. He has the benefit of having played for Smith in both Tennessee and Atlanta. Williams is younger and offers more on special teams, so that will be his ticket to the roster. If he makes the roster, he would be just one injury away from playing meaningful snaps in 13 personnel.

DeMarvin Leal/Isaiahh Loudermilk

I am packaging these two players together as they are likely in a two dogs, one bone scenario at training camp. Loudermilk is entering the final year of his contract, while Leal is entering year three. Neither of them was able to seize control of the final roster spot on game day last season, but Loudermilk finished the season with a helmet over Leal.

The defensive line figures to be one of the top needs next offseason with Heyward and Ogunjobi on the wrong side of 30. Logan Lee has the inside track as the recent draft pick, so one of either Leal or Loudermilk will be looking for a job come September. Leal in particular would have a chance at earning a second contract if he wins the job and turns things around in year three. Reports have been mostly positive out of OTAs and minicamp on him.