The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have their starting quarterback in the building as Aaron Rodgers inked another one-year deal just prior to Organized Team Activities (OTAs) beginning. The good news is that the veteran has plenty of familiarity with the new coaching staff, which is being led by Mike McCarthy. The roster has been revamped throughout the offseason to a degree, and the team is welcoming a lot of rookies, including 10 draft selections that are looking to make their marks early on in their respective careers. There are a great deal of storylines coming out of the Steel City.
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Steelers' Mike McCarthy reunites with quarterback Aaron Rodgers during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) during the 2026 offseason.
Currently, the Steelers have one of the more intriguing situations throughout the league revolving the backup quarterback spot. Three individuals are competing to be directly behind Rodgers, and one of them could find himself with a new organization come September. That will continue to dominate headlines, and after Week 1 of OTAs, it helps to start the list of players who could be in for a summer of proving themselves.
1.) Mason Rudolph And Will Howard
Pittsburgh is not going to part ways with a raw prospect such as Drew Allar after taking him in the third round. That leaves Mason Rudolph and Will Howard as the two who will battle it out for what would likely be the third and final signal-caller spot on the 53-man roster. Barring an injury, someone could end up traded or simply cut. The situation remains fascinating because of how much McCarthy and co. have talked up Howard, but having a veteran in Rudolph around could also be crucial.
This will play itself out over the course of the summer, and it appears that it will take over a lot of the attention during Pittsburgh's preparation for the 2026 season. That might not be the worst thing if all of the starters are getting to work and staying out of the news cycle.
2.) Gabriel Rubio
Pittsburgh has invested in the trenches for several years now, but the main focus has been the offensive line. Back in March, the Steelers inked Sebastian Joseph-Day to a nice contract, leading to less of a need in the draft on the defensive line. Gabriel Rubio was a fifth-round selection who will need plenty to go right for him to end up getting playing time come the regular season. He will remain a cut candidate until he can prove himself for the next several months.
3.) The Rookie Versus The Veteran
It's very possible that both Eli Heidenreich and Travis Homer make Pittsburgh's roster. However, neither is expected to be very involved on the offensive side of things as of now. Special teams is Homer's niche, and Heidenreich will need to excel in that area to find himself in a good position come September. The big challenge here is that there might not be enough room at the very end for both, and the Steelers could have a very tough decision to make.
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Now-Steelers offensive playmaker Eli Heidenreich running with the football during the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine as he shows off to scouts what kinds of skills he possesses.
4.) Donte Kent
Any kick and punt returning advantage that Donte Kent had prior to the NFL Draft was eliminated after the Steelers took Kaden Wetjen. The secondary is also a room that is incredibly packed. Things always are subject to change because injuries often pop up once training camp rolls around, but Kent is currently on the outside looking in, especially with Jalen Ramsey and Brandin Echols present to play in the slot.
5.) Cameron Johnston
Currently, there are no roster worries for punter Cameron Johnston. However, he is coming off yet another brutal injury that took away the majority of his 2025 campaign. The veteran is going to welcome some competition come July, and will have to prove that he is fully healthy. Pittsburgh invited three punters to rookie minicamp, but none were impressive enough to sign to the 90-man roster.
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Steelers' Cameron Johnston practicing holding a kick for Chris Boswell during training camp in 2024.
Steelers Will Have Some Tough Decisions To Make
None of the roster-bubble players have much to worry about in the present; however, the next couple of months leading up to training camp will be crucial. Pittsburgh has talent and depth pretty much everywhere, so it will be interesting to see what the end result is for the 53-man roster. Overall, the hope will be some that just miss the cut will return on the practice squad.
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