Return to Steel Town

[frappuccino]

[frappuccino]

[frappuccino]

Pittsburgh -- Welcome to the latest installment of my “Morning Coffee” blog, Steelers Nation. In this blog, I have some tidbits, musings and rumors to discuss. I’ll be doing a weekly report on all things related the Pittsburgh Steelers. That can be injury takes, trade takes and even mock draft takes as the season progresses. Hope you join the discussion!

• The Steelers have officially inked cornerback Cam Smith for a one-year contract valued at $1.95 million, as reported by ESPN. Smith's availability on the market adds intrigue to the deal. At 26 years of age with four years of experience under his belt, the former second-round draft pick predominantly played for the Arizona Cardinals last season after being traded from the Dolphins. His impressive stats from last season include 48 tackles and 5 interceptions. In Pittsburgh, he is poised to contend with Riley Moss for the nickel position in the defense. Moreover, if the Steelers find Jeff Okudah's price tag too steep next spring, Cam Smith could emerge as the prime candidate to start alongside Joey Porter Jr. at cornerback if he plays well this season.

Riley Moss arrived in Pittsburgh with expectations of starting in the nickel package. However, Pittsburgh has now added Cam Smith, which throws that into question. Smith has the potential to be a free agency steal if he can outperform Moss and secure the starting spot in nickel packages. Despite Smith's talent, his tape highlights some areas for improvement. Like Okudah the previous summer, Smith aims to revitalize his career in Pittsburgh.

• Pittsburgh welcomes back some familiar faces as the Steelers reveal the signings of running backs Jaylen Warren and Danny Jackson. Warren secures a one-year deal valued at $1.55 million, while Jackson's contract is set at $1.05 million for the same duration. Additionally, tight end Connor Heyward is set to embark on his sixth season with the Steelers, having committed to a one-year, $1.35 million agreement.

• The franchise also announced the addition of Kellen Mond, who will join the quarterback room on a one-year deal worth $1.35 million. Mond is likely a camp body but could stick on the roster depending how many quarterbacks Pittsburgh wants to carry into the regular season.

• All eyes will be on the running back committee this summer. Isaiah Pacheco joins Derrick Henry and Jaylen Warren in the backfield in what should be a thrilling competition. Derrick Henry ploughs through the middle whilst Isaiah Pacheco likes to run to the outside. Both are different running styles – but which one will be designated the starter and carry the ball the most? Training camp and preseason will tell us the answer.

• This only open competition battle on defense going into camp is the defensive tackle position. And it’s wide open and up for grabs. The Steelers drafted Stephen Henning after re-signing Leki Fotu to a three year contract – but it’s a cheap one which allows the competition between the veteran and the third round rookie. Henning is a true nose tackle the Steelers have been searching for since Casey Hampton left town.

• Pittsburgh are likely going to carry five wide receivers on the 53 man roster. They added Peter Hopkins via the draft after taking Justin Perkins the year before. George Pickens is comfortably the #1 wide receiver on the team. Jordan Addison is a very dependable #2 who was voted to his first Pro Bowl last season. Mario Williams’ contract is up at the end of the season. Justin Perkins and Peter Hopkins have to have impressive showings at camp to give the Steelers the comfort that they can lose either Addison or Williams next spring with one of the young guns taking their place in a next man up style. The battles we will see in camp this season will set the tone how Pittsburgh will view their draft board going into 2028.

• The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to take a safety with their first round selection after defensive end prospects Matthew Wilkerson, JaShon Haden or K.C. Chaney were drafted before their #32 selection. Quite a few people are waiting to see how Teddy Coleman can contribute to the club. Expectations are running high, considering he was drafted in the first round and was one of the top prospects Pittsburgh graded. It’s unlikely he’ll be starting this season. Jabrill Peppers has moved to free safety and Jaquan Brisker retains the strong safety position he has occupied since being drafted by Chicago. How are the Steelers going to use Teddy Coleman this season? If he isn’t going to start, he’ll be competing with the other defensive backs on the roster to play in special packages. My view would be he’s going to feature in nickel and dime packages as Darnell Savage did the previous three seasons. Savage signed with the Cleveland Browns and will revert to free safety and start at that position. He joins Keeanu Benton who joins the Browns from the Steelers and starts on defense.

• The Steelers showed a lot of faith in choosing Nick Herbig over Alex Highsmith. As Herbig embarks on his maiden voyage as a starting edge rusher this summer, all eyes are on him. With All-World Pro T.J. Watt passing by his early thirties, the mantle of Pittsburgh's future edge rushers falls squarely on Herbig's shoulders. The Steelers' bold move to trade Alex Highsmith and retain Herbig underscores their unwavering faith in his potential. Anticipation runs high as the Steelers anticipate Herbig's emergence as the next premier talent at outside linebacker. The upcoming months promise to be pivotal as Herbig seeks to make a name for himself around the league. Following a Super Bowl winning campaign which marked a career-best 7 sacks, Herbig's trajectory points skyward. Expectations soar as he aims to maintain his momentum and further solidify his stature as a defensive force to be reckoned with. Keep a close watch on Herbig as he embarks on this journey of validation and excellence.

• The Steelers raised an eyebrow when they went and drafted Kurt Barkley. The need for an inside linebacker may not be glaring at the moment, but it could swiftly become a priority if Willie Gay fails to ink a new deal upon the expiration of his two-year contract by season's end. Nevertheless, the Steelers opted for the Best Player Available (BPA) strategy and selected an inside linebacker over a defensive end or defensive tackle. According to my rankings, Barkley ranked 8th among inside linebackers and 93rd overall as a prospect. With impressive off-the-ball skills and a notable 4.5 combine run, Barkley shows promise. My anticipation is high for Barkley to showcase his abilities during preseason snaps, providing insight into his integration within the Steelers' defensive scheme.

• Drafting at the end of each round presents a formidable challenge, as the uncertainty of who will be available looms large. Unlike teams with top 5 selections who have a clearer picture of their potential picks, those at the tail end must navigate a murky landscape. With each selection, the pool of available talent shifts unpredictably, requiring teams to stay nimble and adapt their strategies on the fly. Despite the challenges, there's an undeniable thrill in uncovering hidden gems amidst the uncertainty, adding an extra layer of excitement to the drafting process. I’m grading the Steelers draft a B minus.

• The Steelers have really put DeMarvin Leal on notice. They may very well have drafted his replacement if one of their prospects had fallen to them. They're not replacing Justin Madubuike and Leal didn't actually want to come back to Pittsburgh until nobody offered him anything greater than what Pittsburgh offered. His role in the defense reduced significantly in 2026. He played in 163 downs, which is significantly less than the 437 he played in 2025 and the 386 downs he played in 2024. Leal is going to have to come into camp and show the Steelers he's a defensive end that can stick around for the long haul. Or, he needs to show some other franchise he's starting caliber material.

[frappuccino]

Re-wrote much of the above, as I speed typed it last night and rushed it through

[frappuccino]

[frappuccino]

Pittsburgh -- Welcome to the latest installment of my “Morning Coffee” blog, Steelers Nation. In this blog, I have some tidbits, musings and rumors to discuss. I’ll be doing a weekly report on all things related the Pittsburgh Steelers. That can be an injury take, trade takes and even mock draft takes as the season progresses. Hope you join the discussion!

• The running back competition is still wide open and will be decided by whoever performs better in the pre-season. From what I saw, Derrick Henry takes majority of the snaps with Isaiah Pacheco spelling him with runs to the outside and catching the ball out of the backfield. Jaylen Warren and Danny Jackson have also received snaps. When it got them a Super Bowl, why would Pittsburgh remove their three-headed assault from the gameplan. Whoever is starter, don’t expect them get to get significant carries over the other running backs on the roster if Mike Vrabel opts to repeat that strategy again. It worked quite well last year.

• Cam Smith and Riley Moss have had an entertaining battle during training camp. Cam Smith has provided better coverage while Riley Moss has provided better run support. Pittsburgh prefers their defensive backs to be physical but Cam Smith has made some great splash plays which makes you wonder why he went unsigned. Smith has taken the majority of the snaps in the nickel and will start the pre-season as the nickel corner. This competition won’t be decided until pre-season draws to a close.

• Everyone in Pittsburgh is holding out hope that Nick Herbig becomes the next great outside linebacker. That could happen, it might not. What we do know is that T.J. Watt is in midseason form. He’s come into camp and tore the place up. He’s made play after play – from sacking the cornerback to tackling the backs for a loss. Watt has shown he’s on course for another Pro Bowl season in the black and gold.

• The Steelers took a leap of faith and spent a first round pick on Coleman. So far, it’s working off. He’s recorded two interceptions in camp and swatted away quite a few balls. He’s played at safety and in the slot – showcasing his versatility. He’s one of the biggest winners of camp so far but he’s also the biggest loser. Cam Smith and Riley Moss have played well in the nickel and dime which takes snaps away from Coleman. The safety will have to play lights out during the preseason to get more game time in the regular season.

• Pittsburgh brought back one of their Ex-quarterbacks and he’s settled in nicely and showed he’s a veteran with a lot of class. Rudolph has made few mistakes during camp and has done everything Pittsburgh has asked of him. He won’t get much looks during the season unless an injury occurs, so his preseason will be pretty substantial in owning the playbook and offense as the backup quarterback.

• The biggest winner of camp is speedster Peter Hopkins. He has caught some phenomenal deep balls, dragging his toes and catching balls with one hand. Pittsburgh may have got one of the best steals in the draft with Hopkins in the fifth round. He’s going to fight for balls throwing his way during the preseason. He’s competing against Mario Williams, Justin Perkins and Michael Cross to get some action.

[frappuccino]

[frappuccino]