Steelers Training Camp: Cheat-Sheet Into The Biggest Storylines Ahead Of The 2024 Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing to open up their 2024 training camp at St. Vincent College from July 24th to August 15th. One of the most anticipated offseason events in awhile, there will be plenty of storylines, controversy, and news for fans to follow along with. 

The Black and Gold have made several changes this offseason to shape this roster into something completely different than last season. A brand new quarterback room and offensive play-caller, several new players on the defensive side of the ball, and maybe most notably, a new aura surrounding the team dedicated to winning headline these changes. 

Before training camp gets underway, it's important to look at some of the biggest storylines headed in. Obviously, with all the eyes on who will be named the starting quarterback ahead of Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, that won't be covered here. However, there are still several other questions and players battling for roster spots to go over.

1. Who Are The Steelers' Starting Offensive Tackles Week 1?

No position has been addressed harder in recent years than the Steelers' offensive line. Once a symbol of consistency across the league, a mixture of retirements and cap constraints have forced the Steelers to rebuild the room. This year's unit already feels different, receiving high praise from around the national media of what this group can become. The interior of the line feels pretty set between returning veterans James Daniels and Isaac Seumalo starting at right and left guard respectively, and rookie Zach Frazier is projected to slide into the vacancy at center. The most intriguing battle will be at the tackle positions.

Broderick Jones, who was selected in the first round of last year's draft, is certainly a lock to be one of the starting tackles this season, though which side is up for debate. Jones' natural position was on the left side in college, but almost exclusively played on the right side in his rookie season. The other tackle spot is not so cut and dry. Dan Moore Jr., who enters into the final year of his rookie deal, has been a good starter on the line since being drafted in 2021. However, inconsistencies in his game, coupled with his expiring contract, led the Steelers to draft Troy Fautanu in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. 

The Steelers certainly didn't draft Fautanu to sit on the bench. They may look to follow the same path Jones had to starting in his rookie season, of sitting behind Moore and earn his way onto the field. With Moore likely to earn a massive pay day at the conclusion of his contract, the Steelers would like to get as much experience out of this season for Fautanu that they can and potentially open the door to trading Moore prior to the deadline. Even if Moore wins the job, his leash may be the shortest on the team. 

If Fautanu can go into camp, show the true development of his game from college to the pros, and the adjustment to playing right tackle, the veteran could lose to the rookie before a true snap is played.

2. Is Arthur Smith Truly An Upgrade Over Matt Canada?

Perhaps no bigger change was made to the Steelers' offense this offseason than the hiring of former Atlanta Falcons Head Coach, Arthur Smith, to be the Steelers' offensive coordinator. Smith will be the Steelers' seventh offensive coordinator since 2001, and a hire they hope to have finally nailed. 

Smith comes off a career that is very reminiscent of several new faces on the team this season where his career started promising, but is coming off a stint full of uncertainty. Under Smith in Tennessee, the Titans led one of the best offenses in the game, being among the top in rushing yards, points per game, and total offense from 2019 to 2020. Those numbers dropped drastically to being near the bottom of the league during his time in Atlanta, where he finished with a 7-10 record in each of his three seasons with the team. He now heads to a Steelers team that has had a tough time producing any form of offense in recent seasons. Though he will be charged with turning things around for the Steelers' offense, the question surrounding Smith is whether or not he can be better than Matt Canada was last season?

There were times under Canada where it felt like the offense was leading him, rather than Canada holding the reigns. This led to Canada being fired midseason, something the Steelers hadn't done in decades. During training camp, Smith needs to show his leadership, not just his offensive scheme. Have a close teacher based relationship with his quarterbacks, not just one player. Smith's commitment to change and adapt will be the biggest sticking point during his first season in Pittsburgh. 

3. Will Jaylen Warren See An Uptick In Usage?

Perhaps the most surprising move of the Steelers' offseason, they declined the fifth-year option on former first round pick, Najee Harris. Coming off of a historic start to his season, Harris has ran for over 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons, and needs 721 yards to pass Frank Pollard for sixth on the Steelers' all-time rushing list. Though the question of how Harris will respond on the field this season is a question of its own, the bigger question circles around the usage of former undrafted free agent, Jaylen Warren.

Maybe the biggest success story of undrafted players in recent years, Warren has been a true Swiss army knife out of the backfield. In two seasons with the team, Warren has eclipsed over 1,600 offensive yards and five touchdowns, with a career high four on the ground in 2023. When the two are on the field together, Harris and Warren have created quite a pairing that has forced problems for many linebacker cores throughout the league. 

Where the situation gets hairy, is that both players are free agents at the conclusion of the 2024 season. Though it's certainly possible that both players can be brought back next season given the affordability of running backs in recent years, it's unlikely both will return knowing they can start elsewhere. The question/battle here isn't who will be on the roster this season as both will see significant playing time. The snap allocation through training camp and the preseason will be where the eyes will be as both players fight for a future in Pittsburgh.

4. Josiah Scott vs Beanie Bishop For Slot Position

When the Steelers re-signed Cameron Sutton this offseason, there was a mixture of excitement and confusion within Steeler Nation. After being released by the Detroit Lions after one year with the team, Sutton didn't necessarily have the eye popping stats warranting a reunion with his former team. Now, after his suspension due to breaking the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy, the Steelers are back to square one in the secondary. 

Several outside additions have been suggested as to whom the Black and Gold can bring in, but the best view we will get initially will be Josiah Scott vs Beanie Bishop. Both players are likely to stick on the roster for depth, but have a unique opportunity to earn a starting job. Other than a standout 2022 season with the Philadelphia Eagles where he recorded two interceptions, Scott has yet to find a true groove at the professional level. 

This is where Bishop, an undrafted rookie out of West Virginia, will have his chance. A 24-year old rookie, Bishop has drawn heavy comparisons to another undrafted corner in Mike Hilton. Both players have good twitch and speed, which allow them to be used in the blitzing role of the slot corner the Steelers like to run. Both players will get a solid run at the job, but if they don't meet the expectations set for the position, Omar Khan may look outside the organization to fill the role.

5. Omar Khan vs Steelers Draft Capital

This leads perfectly into a major talking point this offseason in Pittsburgh, the "Khan Artist" striking again. After addressing several needs in free agency and the draft, there still remains holes on the roster for the team to fill. These positions have been linked to the wide receiver and cornerback rooms, with Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers being the most talked about player. 

It's no secret Khan is doing everything in his power to bring another Lombardi Trophy to Pittsburgh, but the question arises of how aggressive he will be. Some teams in the past, most recently the Los Angeles Rams, have embraced an attitude of throwing picks at a wall to bring in star players to win a Super Bowl. If done correctly, those players are stars that can remain on your roster for awhile, rather than be one and done signings. If done wrong however, it can set your team back for a decade.

Circling back to Khan, it'll be interesting to see what (if any) moves he makes prior to the start of the season. The Steelers have discussed heavily this offseason the change of philosophy to being aggressive to win now. Certainly players like Aiyuk would play a massive role in Pittsburgh's championship aspirations, but the question simply strikes back to how desperate are the Steelers right now to trade their long-term future for success in the present?

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