The Steelers offseason was one of significant change. A new coaching staff breathed new air into the Steelers organization and its fans. Roster turnover, a deep draft, and a brand-new training camp were just the beginning. The evaluation process and dress rehearsals for the regular season get kicked up a notch tonight as the Steelers welcome the Packers to Pittsburgh for game one of the preseason.
There are storylines aplenty through all four quarters tonight, here is what I will be looking for in game one.
As always, you can follow along with my thoughts LIVE on X
Drew Allar and Will Howard
The quarterbacks will likely be a priority for anyone who has been following camp, as the reports have been high and low on each QB besides Aaron Rodgers, who looks like Aaron Rodgers.
Like Rodgers, I expect Mason Rudolph to look like himself, which isn’t all that encouraging. He’s fine for a low-end QB2, and that’s what he’ll be. I don’t need preseason to tell me that.
Allar and Howard, however, have something to prove. Although Howard has been on the team for over a year, we’ve yet to see him take a snap against an opponent. Anything less than complete control of the offense, poise, and leadership would be disappointing. Those are the intangibles that got him drafted in 2025 following a national championship run at Ohio State. In order to impress, he’ll have to make NFL-level throws in the intermediate and downfield parts of the field. In order to make the final 53, he’ll have to show he can do what we think he can do, plus some of the things we don’t think he can do.
Possibly unfairly, Allar will not need to impress nearly as much. As far as the basics, he’s far behind Will Howard, but the upside is much greater. 2026 will serve as a redshirt season for Allar, during which he will work on basic mechanics as a candidate to be a franchise QB, with that competition truly beginning in 2027. For tonight’s game, Allar simply has to show progress. He was wildly irregular at all facets of the game at Penn State. His job now is to unlearn what he was (n’t) taught at Penn State and take the tutelage of Mike McCarthy’s QB development program.
Sound mechanics, getting in and out of the huddle, and not putting the ball in harm’s way would be a good showing for Drew Allar tonight. He shouldn’t be afraid to show off his highlight arm either, if the situation allows.
Offensive Line
The realigned offensive front could be on display for the first time tonight. Troy Fautanu and Mason McCormick switch to the left side, where they both played in college. Zach Frazier continues to man the middle, quickly rising as one of the league’s best centers. Last year’s “6th man” Spencer Anderson has taken first-team reps at RG, and Dylan Cook serves as RT. Max Iheanachor was pushing with solid reps at RT1 until an injury that is expected to keep him from playing.
A weakness this time last year, the offensive line is now viewed as a strength, if not for its starters, certainly for its depth. Veteran guard Brock Hoffman and 3rd-round pick Gennings Dunker project as solid backups, along with Broderick Jones, who has impressed in limited practice time due to his neck injury dating back to last season.
As of writing this, it’s not been confirmed who will play or for how long, but offensive lines typically take the most time to gain cohesion. A few series together could go a long way on an offensive line featuring 4 of 5 players lining up in new positions for 2026.
Schematics
With the new coaching staff come new offensive and defensive systems.
On offense, Mike McCarthy brings one of the purest forms of the classic West Coast offense in the modern NFL. Typically, he features a lot of 3-wide receiver sets, which the roster has been adapted to, with the additions of Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard.
Two well-paid tight ends and McCarthy’s openness about having a “power football” team suggest more 12 personnel (1 back, 2 tight ends). A healthy combination of both is most likely. The two-tight-end set lends itself to an under-center, downhill run game. One that Steelers fans of old love and undoubtedly miss. We may even be treated to a few throws over the middle.
Defensively, the change in schematics may be more difficult to see with the naked eye. Defenses, especially ones with a new coordinator, typically don’t show the intricacies or wrinkles they’re capable of in meaningless games. There are a few special changes to look for that were typical of recent Steelers defenses.
- Keeping the linebackers clean. The defensive front often struggled to move or maintain the line of scrimmage, clogging up the middle of the field and making it difficult for linebackers to run and hit. It was likely a result of the former scheme, not the players. Indications in camp are that the linebackers have been playing much more freely.
- Player movement. Forever a topic for T.J. Watt, moving players around is almost expected in the modern NFL. Swapping edge rushers, linebackers playing “nickel backer”, defensive linemen rotating. Even if the starters aren’t in the game, the reserves moving around is a preview of what the starters will be doing.
- The big play. Preventing the big play is a major concern of mine for 2026. Mostly a critique of the starters, but I believe the defense lacks the speed required to be a top defense. Pass rush and schematics can mask a lot, but the safeties, especially, lack the deep speed required to match up with the wide receiver heavy talent of the NFL. Communication and assignments in a new defense could majorly contribute to this as well, with McCarthy’s not-so-encouraging comments
Position Battles
Runningback
RB3 appears to be a 2-man race between Kaleb Johnson and Travis Homer. Johnson is a pure ball carrier who amassed 1,537 yards and 21 TDs in his final season at Iowa, then just 69 yards in a head-scratching rookie year. Travis Homer is an 8-year NFL veteran with a strong special-teams background. I expect to see plenty of both of them, with a particular emphasis on Johnson proving himself as a special teams player and Homer proving his ability to contribute on offense. The fringe players must prove their worth in areas other than their strengths.
I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Johnson with a heavy load of carries as a showcase (especially later in preseason), as I believe he is a trade candidate near cut day.
Safety
Jaquon Brisker and DeShon Elliott are the starters, and aside from my concerns mentioned earlier, this is the weakest position on the entire team. Backup safety is a tough position to follow at camp from afar, so I will be watching the safeties with a keen eye tonight. I want to learn who they are as players and if we should be as concerned as I feel we should be. Especially if there are injuries.
