PITTSBURGH \u2014 The Pittsburgh Steelers put the ball in Aaron Rodgers\u2019 hands with less than two minutes on the clock to close practice Wednesday. Facing a fourth-and-long, the 42-year-old quarterback reared back and let it rip. The ball sailed well over 50 yards in the air and hit Roman Wilson, in stride, streaking down the field for a touchdown.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s crazy just to see a guy like, I don\u2019t wanna say older guy, but (Rodgers) still ain\u2019t lost a step yet,\u201d tight end Darnell Washington said. \u201cJust to see the arm talent still there and Roman just opening up the deep ball, running downfield like that. It for sure was crazy just to see it.\u201d<\/p>\n
That play was not only one of the last live reps of Wednesday\u2019s mandatory minicamp, but it may have been one of the last meaningful snaps of the offseason program for many veterans. Over the last three weeks \u2014 two weeks of OTAs and one week of mandatory minicamp \u2014 new coach Mike McCarthy\u2019s focus was on completing all the installs. On Thursday, they\u2019ll do some team bonding, Pittsburgh-style, at Kennywood Amusement Park.<\/p>\n
They still have one more week of voluntary OTAs, but those sessions are likely to focus on developing young players, with many established players heading out of town. Now that most of the heavy offseason lifting is behind the Steelers, let\u2019s look back at what we\u2019ve learned so far.<\/p>\n
Watt moving around more \u2014 and he\u2019s not alone<\/p>\n
It feels like every minicamp and training camp, T.J. Watt talks about how this is the year he\u2019ll move around more from his familiar spot on the left side of the defense, where he\u2019s usually rushing against an opposing right tackle. This year, it might actually happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think in the past, it was a little more me being stubborn,\u201d Watt said. \u201cThis new system, I really can\u2019t say no. A lot of us are interchangeable parts. You\u2019re not just learning your position. You\u2019re going to have to learn the whole defensive front structure. I think you\u2019re going to see a lot more movement out of not just me, but the whole front.\u201d<\/p>\n
That doesn\u2019t just mean flipping sides. Watt could be dropping into coverage more or rushing from different lanes more often as well. The Steelers will also likely deploy more of their three-outside linebacker looks than in years past as a way to highlight their depth at the position.<\/p>\n
Speaking of linebackers moving around, new $100 million man Nick Herbig was asked about potentially playing off the ball. While we aren\u2019t yet allowed to report everything we see freely like we are during camp (and Herbig has only been at two practices), he didn\u2019t shut the idea down entirely. He\u2019s not changing positions, but there could be some wrinkles.<\/p>\n
Ramsey\u2019s role<\/p>\n
To get a sense of how the new coaching staff envisions Jalen Ramsey fitting into the defense, flash back to McCarthy\u2019s days with Charles Woodson.<\/p>\n
\u201cCharles came to Green Bay; we moved him inside to nickel,\u201d McCarthy said. \u201cThat took his game to a whole different level, with his ability to be so impactful when we moved him closer to the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
McCarthy said he\u2019s observed Ramsey from afar and believes that the 31-year-old defensive back could also become an impactful player from the slot. (By the way, the Steelers, like many teams, are calling this position the \u201cStar.\u201d)<\/p>\n
The new coaching staff has made a point to say Ramsey is a \u201cdefensive back,\u201d instead of putting him into a specific bucket as a corner, slot corner or safety. He\u2019ll probably wear a number of different hats. However, his primary responsibility will likely be the Star, especially considering the Steelers will probably be in sub packages about 75 to 80 percent of snaps.<\/p>\n
They need another safety<\/p>\n
Defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Jason Simmons acknowledged that the Steelers will frequently play from a two-high shell. This means they\u2019ll align with two deep safeties pre-snap, but it doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019ll stay in a split-safety coverage.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe league is going to it because it allows a lot more disguise,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cWhen you have that split-safety shell, what are you dropping out of? Are you playing single high? Are you playing Cover 2? Are you playing Cover 4? Are you playing Cover 0?\u201d<\/p>\n
Playing this way schematically means that DeShon Elliott and Jaquan Brisker will be interchangeable. Post-snap, sometimes Elliott will be in the box with Brisker deep. Sometimes vice versa.<\/p>\n
While they both have the skill set to fit this scheme, the Steelers still should be looking to add some more depth to this position group. Because Elliott might not yet be 100 percent, Sebastian Castro (a UDFA last year out of Iowa) got plenty of run with the first-team defense while filling in for the veteran. Unfortunately, he was in coverage on Wilson\u2019s catch. This is not to knock Castro; he could be a developmental depth piece who fits in further down the roster. Still, if the Steelers lose a safety, they need a stronger replacement, even with Darnell Savage finally on board officially.<\/p>\n
Rodgers-to-Roman connection growing<\/p>\n
The other takeaway from the play is that the Rodgers-to-Roman connection is in a much better place than it was a season ago. That deep pass to Wilson wasn\u2019t the only one Wednesday. Even though the Steelers drafted Germie Bernard in the second round and he\u2019s looked quite good, Wilson is clearly WR3 at this exact moment in an offense that will use a lot of three-receiver sets. His challenge will be to try to hold off Bernard for the rest of the season.<\/p>\n
The fullback is alive and well<\/p>\n
Last year, the Steelers were in 11 personnel (one back, one tight end, three receivers) on just 38.7 percent of snaps, the second-lowest rate in the league. That number should change significantly as McCarthy implements his offense \u2014 during McCarthy\u2019s final season in Dallas, the Cowboys were in 11 personnel for more than 70 percent of snaps.<\/p>\n
While the receivers will be featured more, McCarthy also believes in running the ball and has an affinity for the fullback. While Dallas was top 10 in 11 personnel in 2024, it was also top 10 in 21 personnel (two backs, one tight end, 8.2 percent) and 22 personnel (two backs, two tight ends, 3.3 percent). That\u2019s why the Steelers drafted Riley Nowakowski, who will play a hybrid H-back\/tight end role.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would always prefer to have a fullback,\u201d McCarthy said. \u201cI\u2019ve played with the base three fullbacks on a 53-man roster.\u201d<\/p>\n
RB by committee<\/p>\n
When Ramon Chinyoung Sr. was asked about how the Steelers will split the carries between Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle, the running backs coach answered: \u201cGreat question.\u201d But there wasn\u2019t a clear answer. Instead, he explained that the scheme and the flow of the game will dictate the workload.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is two fresh backs at all times,\u201d Chinyoung said.<\/p>\n
My read: Expect an \u201cOR\u201d at the RB1 position when the first depth chart is released.<\/p>\n
D-line shuffle<\/p>\n
When the Steelers drafted Yahya Black in 2025, he seemed to have all the makings of a nose tackle in a 3-4 defense. The Iowa defensive lineman towers at 6-foot-6 and proudly sports his gut \u2014 \u201cfree the gut,\u201d he\u2019s said often \u2014 at 336 pounds. However, the Steelers\u2019 old staff said from Day 1 they wanted to play him a 4i (the defensive end in the 3-4 aligned over the inside shoulder of the tackle). The new staff sees things a bit differently. Steelers defensive line coach Domata Peko (the former Cincinnati Bengal) mentioned that he\u2019d like to use Black more over the center.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Keeanu Benton has mostly been the nose tackle in the base defense. He could continue to grow into other spots on the defensive front.<\/p>\n
Mid-round rookie watch<\/p>\n
Two rookies have caught my eye early: Bernard and third-round cornerback Daylen Everette. McCarthy wants his receivers to be versatile and play all three spots (Z, X and F). That means Bernard has to learn three positions at once. Considered a pro-ready receiver, Bernard has been able to grasp the concepts. Our draft analyst, Dane Brugler, wrote that Bernard is \u201cjust a good football player.\u201d I see what he means. Bernard doesn\u2019t do anything at a level that wows you as George Pickens could sometimes, but the rookie has reliable hands, gets in and out of his breaks quickly and has nice body control. To me, he has a really high floor and a good shot to work his way into the rotation this year.<\/p>\n