The Pittsburgh Steelers are going to look a lot different during the 2026 season, especially on the offensive side of the ball. There hasn't been a ton of roster turnover on that side as a good handful of starters will be returning, but some additional playmakers have been introduced to that side of the ball. An exciting addition was running back Rico Dowdle, who the organization signed in free agency, and then acquiring Michael Pittman Jr. via trade right before free agency began was also a good move. Pittsburgh now needs those moves to turn into production on the field.
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) conversing during a training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
Pittman has had a very successful career up until this point. He has spent every season with the Indianapolis Colts, and he has been able to remain consistent and turn in productive seasons while working with a different quarterback in each year of his career. There shouldn't be much reason to doubt that Pittman will be an immediate contributor in Pittsburgh, but there is some reason for concern as he was dealing with an injury throughout a large portion of training camp. He initially got banged up during the team's Saturday Night Lights practice.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers spoke to the media after practice on Wednesday, speaking about working with the receivers on the roster during training camp. He talked about his weapons on offense, but his comments on Pittman could be viewed as concerning.
"It is what it is, he was hurt," Rodgers said of Pittman. "We've got to get him up to speed. Feel great about DK and Roman, they've had two of the top five camps. I would say Pat Freiermuth should be in the mix too. With Michael, we haven't seen a lot from him. So we'll figure out where we like him, but we'll obviously need him to contribute to be successful."
Rodgers spoke highly of both DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson, which should be good news for fans as Metcalf struggled at times in 2025 and Wilson has struggled to catch on as a professional. Rodgers also spoke about having a great connection with his tight end Pat Freiermuth, and he is a player that fans have been wishing was more involved in the offense. All signs seem good with those three, but Pittman is still working his way into the swing of things.
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (11) during a training camp practice in Latrobe, PA.
Pittman is an experienced veteran, and he should be able to catch up to speed relatively quickly. The only issue is going to be making sure he is on the same page as Rodgers as he gets more and more involved. He is expected to be the second wide receiver on this team, but Rodgers did not sound extremely confident in that. Pittsburgh still has a week and a half of practice left before taking the field against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, so hopefully things get figured out by then.
Steelers Need More Production Downfield
It was evident during the 2025 season that Rodgers wanted to avoid being hit, which led to a lot of checkdowns. The Steelers need to avoid that and find a way to push the ball down the field a bit more in 2026, and Pittman was expected to be a big part of that. He has a ton of production throughout his career from running intermediate routes over the middle of the field and making catches in traffic. That is the best part of his game, and that is what the Steelers must find a way to exploit. If the offense can get that going, then the sidelines should open up, and even deeper shots down the field. That will be a big key to the success of the offense during the 2026 season.
What do you think about Rodgers' comments on Pittman? Do you have confidence in that duo for the 2026 season? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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