The Pittsburgh Steelers won the team's first preseason game of the 2026 season on Thursday night as Pittsburgh was able to take down the Green Bay Packers by a score of 28-9. There were some concerning things that occurred in the game, including a number of penalties that needed to be cleaned up. Pittsburgh was nearly playing itself out of the contest due to the number of penalties, but every iteration of the offense looked good and was able to move the ball well. Another encouraging sign was that the entire rookie class from the 2026 NFL Draft seemed to play a role in the win.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Gennings Dunker and other Day 2 picks entertain fans in Pittsburgh in 2026.
The Day 2 picks shined in particular for Pittsburgh. Daylen Everette had some good defensive plays, Germie Bernard was productive as a wide receiver, and Drew Allar was the star of the game as he put up incredible and efficient numbers while leading the offense on three scoring drives. Gennings Dunker was also good as he was unnoticeable on the offensive line, which is typically a good sign for offensive linemen. He entered the game at right guard and played most of the second half. He was Pittsburgh's last pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Dunker was versatile in college at Iowa as he played both tackle and guard. He hasn't seemed to get any work in at tackle throughout the spring and through the first couple of weeks of training camp, and it seems clear that he is going to be a guard at the NFL level. Beat writer Mark Kaboly spoke to the rookie after Thursday's game, and he admitted to that.
"Talked to Gennings Dunker after the game, and he admitted that he now realizes that he's not a tackle in the NFL and that guard is his position at this level," Kaboly wrote. "I asked why. Reserve OT Doug Nester was next to him and interjected, 'Because he's a mauler.' Yes he is."
It seems like Dunker has given up on his dream of playing tackle at the NFL level, which is a tough realization for some versatile offensive linemen to come to. One thing that is on the back of all of their minds is the fact that tackle is considered to be a premier position. They have to block some of the best players in the league, and that leads to a much higher payday than those players on the interior of the offensive line.
Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers guard Gennings Dunker takes some reps at 2026 minicamp Day 2.
Dunker is considered to be raw still, but the size and athleticism is there for him to be a successful guard in the NFL. He also has the mentality that is necessary, which Doug Nester reiterated by calling him a mauler while speaking to Kaboly. Iowa relies on running the football at the college level, and that program definitely employs an old-school style of football. That is the style of football Dunker was raised in, and it is how Pittsburgh likes to play the game as well. As long as he can adjust to the speed of the NFL game, he should be fine.
Steelers' Dunker Could Still Find A Way To Make An Impact In 2026
It was evident on Thursday night that the Steelers have a problem at right guard. Spencer Anderson is starting there right now, although there is a position battle going on between him, Brock Hoffman, and Dunker. Anderson arguably did not look great in his time on the field, which opens the door for Hoffman and it also opens the door somewhat for Dunker. If Dunker can stack three good to great performances in the preseason while being a good player on the practice field, he can make a real push for the starting job. It is a long shot, and it is probably more likely that he gets a chance once the regular season is already underway.
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