Here we are Steelers fans. You know we’ve reached the real offseason when fans everywhere are anxiously holding their breath waiting for….. the schedule release? Seriously, this is where we are right now. I mean I guess you could throw in anxiously awaiting the Aaron Rodgers decision but if we were holding our breath for that we would have died a long time ago. Sort of like his career did once he left Green Bay.
At least it’s rookie minicamp time. That’s super exciting. We do at least get a little better look at the new guys and through media sessions we get to know a little more about their personalities. It’s also a good experience for the rookies. They get acclimated to the new facilities, the practice fields, and their new coaches’ expectations. Unless of course they were drafted by the Bengals. “No, uh uh. I’m going to need that contract done first.”
By now you all know Will Howard and Kaleb Johnson combined with last year’s MIA player Roman Wilson are the new Big Ben, Le’veon, and AB as per X. Realistically, what CAN we expect from our newest additions though? Below we do our best to forecast how the rookies will fare in year one.
Derrick Harmon
This one is pretty easy because after the release of Larry Ogunjobi, it looks like the Steelers are going to need to get Harmon rolling from the jump. The good news is that all signs so far point to him being able to step in and do just that. With the veteran presence of Cam Heyward, Harmon is in good hands and should do just fine. There will probably be a learning curve but he should be up to speed quickly like Zach Frazier was last year. Harmon is physically gifted and after playing at a high level against stiff competition at Oregon he is about as pro ready as a rookie can be.
Kaleb Johnson
Jaylen Warren should get the nod as the starter early in the season, but the Steelers will continue the RB 1A and 1B approach they have in years past. In fact, I don’t believe anyone will be shocked if Johnson gets the majority of the early down work sooner rather than later. Warren is better in the passing game and blitz pickup, whereas Johnson may be better suited to handle a heavier workload. There are a lot of comparisons to Najee Harris due to his build, but Kaleb Johnson brings a different skillset altogether. Johnson will be comfortable in Arthur Smith’s offense and the transition should be fairly smooth.
Jack Sawyer
Sawyer should be regulated strictly to special teams in year one. However injuries can change that pretty quickly and as we saw the past few seasons, TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith have both missed some significant time. The Steelers may also look to use Sawyer in early down packages to “save” Watt for obvious passing downs. If Sawyer sees an extended amount of starts this season, then something went seriously wrong. That being said I am interested to see what Sawyer brings to the table. Both TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith have shown the willingness to mentor young players, and Sawyer should thrive under their direction.
Yahya Black
This one is interesting. If Yahya Black is able to show enough early, he may get some opportunities should the Steelers want to move Keeanu Benton to DE. In my opinion Benton is not a true nose tackle and his skillset is better utilized outside. Black not only has the size but is also known for his run stuffing ability. It would not come as a shock to see Black get work in the rotation especially later in the season. He’ll need to work on his technique, but his power has already been on display early at rookie minicamp.
Will Howard
If Will Howard sees the field at all during the regular season, one of two scenarios happened. Either Aaron Rodgers was not signed and Mason Rudolph was underperforming, or there were injuries. Mike Tomlin is not going to thrust a sixth-round pick into any significant action unless his hand is forced. Quite honestly, I’d kind of like to see what the kid has. If he performs well and has the potential to be “the guy”, that’s awesome. If it appears that he will never be anything more than a backup, at least they know and have a better shot at a franchise guy come the 2026 draft. From an attitude and leadership standpoint, there is a lot to like about Will Howard. If he finds a way to exceed expectations, Steeler fans will be overjoyed. I wouldn’t expect much this season however.
Carson Bruener/Donte Kent
These guys are both players that should they earn a spot on the roster, it will be strictly due to their special teams abilities. Both players are undersized for their positions at LB and DB respectively. They will also be competing against some UDFAs that play at positions that are lacking depth. One or both of them may not make the final 53 or practice squad.
This is a solid class of rookies that appear to also have the intangibles that coaches look for. High character, coachable guys that will work hard and be good teammates. This seems to be a trend the last couple of seasons which could finally result in the team getting back to it’s roots. With the number of picks the Steelers have compiled in next year’s draft, there will eventually be an influx of youth and talent. This also means that 2025 could be a rough season. That being said, hope and potential is better than mediocrity and I prefer a shot at a Lombardi trophy over Tomlin’s over .500 win rate.
