The Steelers play football tomorrow!
With the preseason just a day away at this point, Read & React is back with our promised mailbag column ahead of Thursday night’s kickoff. In late July, we asked for some questions about the team, and you all delivered. I’m also happy to announce that, due to the few questions we got about training camp, we brought in contributor Joey Bray, who has been covering training camp for BTSC, to help us out with this column.
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Let’s dive in:
Polamolecules_Dude: After seeing so many rankings for the Steelers (WRs, etc) being ranked so low, how realistic are these rankings with a whole new coaching staff and many new players? Is it just because of so many changes, or nobody really knowing what to expect from this team? Is that maybe a good thing?
RB: Without real football to fall back on, the summer becomes ranking season for much of the media, and we’ve kept tabs on quite a few of the more prominent lists here at BTSC. Ryan and I even devoted a column to discussing whether Pittsburgh was being disrespected by the national media based on where the Black and Gold have been falling in power rankings as of late (I said the Steelers are possibly underrated, but not egregiously so).
Regarding the last part of your question, is it a good thing? Maybe. Some athletes are always looking for a little bit of motivation, and I’m sure rankings articles can supply that, but there hasn’t been much noise about that beyond fanbase and media chatter.
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But although I think it’s fair to argue the team ranking can be low in the preseason lists, the player rankings have largely been reasonable. And I can say that while still being a bit more optimistic regarding the roster than the national media.
Simply put, the Steelers are a roster in transition. A lot of the big names have aged out of their prime, but while the tired narrative of an “old roster” is somewhat accurate in regards to the team’s star players, it doesn’t properly represent the overall roster. Sure, many of the young, upcoming names — which are often forgotten in that narrative — haven’t truly reached stardom yet. But that still leaves Pittsburgh with a surprisingly solid roster from top to bottom, even if it has few consensus “top 10” names.
I’m not sure if that has much to do with uncertainty regarding the new coaching staff, which, if anything, has seemingly increased the optimism around how the Steelers can maximize talent on both sides of the ball. But there is definitely plenty of uncertainty regarding whether those older players can keep fighting off Father Time, and whether the younger names can keep their upward trajectories.
As for the main part of your question, I don’t think the rankings are particularly realistic or unrealistic — frankly, even the best of us fail to accurately predict much of each upcoming NFL season. As players such as Zach Frazier, Joey Porter Jr., Troy Fautanu, Nick Herbig and Darnell Washington continue to stack strong seasons, they’ll probably start to get more national hype and I’m willing to bet the Steelers see one or two more players on ESPN’s top-10 lists heading into next season, even as names such as TJ Watt and Cam Heyward start to fade out of the spotlight.
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To your point, though, there are plenty of unknowns with this team, and I can’t wait to move from the endless speculation to the “real football” part of the year, which kicks off tomorrow for Steelers fans. Still, well-put-together rankings can be an interesting look at how the team compares to the rest of the league. Check out Bleacher Report’s Brandon Thorn’s informative offensive line ranking (which was bullish on some Steelers) for a strong example.
Aug 03, 2026; Latrobe, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy is interviewed on The Pat McAfee Show at Pittsburgh Steelers Training camp at Saint Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
CT-Steeler4Life: Now that the Steelers have gone out of their comfort zone and hired a 62-year-old head coach (Austin and Noll were 47 and Cowher and Tomlin were 43 when hired), how long do you predict McCarthy sticks around? If he can’t work wonders with this current quarterback room, which everyone thinks he’s good at, I believe that after 2 seasons, Steelers Nation will be calling for his replacement. Which young head coach candidate is your preference for the long-term future?
RP: I was skeptical about the McCarthy hire when it happened. Hands up to the sky, full transparency here: I am the guy who wrote the opinion piece on why hiring McCarthy would be a mistake. Like you, most of my arguments against that decision were tied to the long-term potential of hiring a 62-year-old coach taking on his third head coaching gig. Those concerns are certainly still in the back of my mind when I take the big-picture view of this club’s future.
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But I must admit, I have found most of the reports from OTAs and now training camp to be a breath of fresh air. I am still thankful for Mike Tomlin’s contributions over the years, but regular readers of this column know that both Ryland and I were ready to see some new ideas and voices take over for a team that had grown stagnant. We are all familiar with the various complaints about how this team has been run in recent years, and I don’t particularly feel like litigating them again is useful or necessary at this point.
But I will say that the staff McCarthy has surrounded himself with gives me some optimism. The players brought in during free agency and through the draft mostly make sense. I may still believe the end result for the Steelers will be similar, but I’m encouraged that steps are being taken to address some of the team’s longest-standing concerns. Players, like Keeanu Benton, are being asked to play positions that fit them more naturally than the miscastings they were forced into and stubbornly held to by the old regime. I have a growing confidence that both the offense and defense will make adjustments that make sense.
I’m willing to keep an open mind and give McCarthy a chance to let things play out. I think Year 1 will be about building a foundation, and next season will be when we can really start to evaluate if he is capable of being the bridge to the future this organization needs.
To answer your questions more directly, I think barring a total catastrophe, McCarthy will serve no less than four years of the five-year deal he was given. After all, this was an organization that, by all reports, was willing to run it back with Tomlin again had he not resigned. Next year the team will either draft a quarterback or make a play for a veteran and perhaps see how far Drew Allar has progressed after a year in the building. In all likelihood, McCarthy will finish his contract unless he decides to step away for any of the many reasons a man in his 60s might decide to.
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The second part of your question is then likely impossible to predict. This cycle I was really high on Jesse Minter, and was then, of course, disgusted when he predictably signed with the rival Ravens. But predicting who might be a coaching candidate five years from now is pure speculation. Could a coach like Kyle Shanahan follow an Andy Reid-type career path where he leaves his first team and finally gets over the hump with team two? Could a clearly talented coach like Demeco Ryans be available if the Texans don’t win it all with their elite defense? Guessing which current position coaches will rise to head coaching candidates is likely an exercise in futility. What I will say is I respect adaptability in a coach. I like coaches who aren’t satisfied to stick with one system or scheme regardless of what roster they have or what changes are happening around the league. Whoever eventually follows McCarthy is hopefully of that mindset.
Trunnion: We waited for the 6th round to draft a defensive lineman. Is our defensive line set for starters and depth, and how are they measuring up?
CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 28: Cameron Heyward #97 of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field on December 28, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
RB: I was on board with the Steelers looking into a name such as Peter Woods or Lee Hunter in the first round early in the draft process, but that interest faded after the team made a mid-level free agent investment in Sebastian Joseph-Day that shored up the defensive line room for 2026.
While I wouldn’t go as far as to say they’ll be elite, the Steelers defensive line rotation actually appears to be rather deep and talented ahead of the upcoming season. The team is going to be in a 2-4-5 sub package quite a bit, and will have Cam Heyward, Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton, Joseph-Day, and Yahya Black all available to play on that starting front.
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It’s fair to expect some age regression from the 37-year-old Heyward, but after he played the most snaps of any defensive lineman in the NFL last season (somehow a real stat), I expect that he’ll be able to stay fresher and more impactful if new coordinator Patrick Graham implements more of a rotation in 2026.
Similarly, the new coaching staff has shown interest in playing Benton more at 3-tech and Black more at nose tackle, which should suit both players better. And if Harmon and Black can take some steps forward from their rookie seasons, which I expect, there’s a lot to be excited about up front.
As a result, it wasn’t exactly a shock to see the team wait until Day 3 to select a defensive lineman. The top of the position group is more or less set entering the new season.
Next year could be a different story, however. Heyward’s retirement can’t be far away at this point. And Benton is in the last year of his deal and could certainly price himself out of what the Steelers would want to pay for an extension. Joseph-Day likely has some years left as a rotational starter, but at 31, he isn’t a long-term piece, either.
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As a result, while quarterback is almost certainly the team’s No. 1 roster need for 2027, defensive line might be penciled high on that list as well.
Maz1960: Right now, four other teams will almost certainly draft a quarterback in 2027 — the Browns, Cardinals, Dolphins, and Jets. Assuming the Steelers finish with a better pick than those teams and earn a draft pick in a similar range as they have in recent seasons — ie, somewhere between 18 and the early 20s — what would it cost the Steelers to trade up to secure one of the top three quarterbacks? Is that even realistic? If not, is it worth giving up so much to get a quarterback in the “second tier” of prospects?
RP: Add in the Colts and Saints as teams who could be searching too if their current quarterbacks stumble this year. As you aptly point out, there is going to be a lot of competition for rookie quarterbacks in the 2027 class, and we won’t know how many are actually declaring for the draft until next January. If you’re interested in which quarterbacks are being looked at as candidates right now, I’ll link a video below that Joey Bray and I put out over on our YouTube channel, Trust the Board.
As for the other parts of your question, let’s try to break them down into sections.
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In terms of your last question, the boring but truthful answer is this: it will all depend on circumstances. Each draft class looks different. Kenny Pickett was the first quarterback drafted in his class, and that certainly didn’t work out — he’s now with his fifth team in just five years. Jordan Love was picked 26th overall as the QB4 in his class, and Lamar Jackson was QB5 as the 32nd overall pick in his class. Neither has won a Super Bowl, but both the Packers and Ravens have been happy with those selections. Then again, both Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy were top-10 picks but were QB4 and QB5, and their squads aren’t nearly as pleased with the results as the Broncos have been with pick 12 and QB6 Bo Nix. We just can’t speak definitively about a class that hasn’t fully taken form yet.
As for what it would take for the Steelers to acquire one of the top three quarterbacks? That’s reliant on several factors.
Most obviously, how the draft order actually shakes out. If a team with an established franchise quarterback — let’s just say the Chiefs or Chargers as examples — ends up with a top-three pick because their quarterback gets injured early in the season, that would present an opportunity, theoretically, for a trade up. Of course, they would also have to be fine passing up on several highly touted non-QB prospects that are expected to declare for this draft too.
It will also depend on how this year’s crop of potential quarterbacks perform during the college season, and how many decide to declare. Right now Arch Manning and Dante Moore are the presumptive top two options, with the race for QB3 pretty wide open. If either of those two stumble, or no one beyond them shines, then perhaps QB3 will fall. Then again, that likely means the Steelers won’t be as enticed to take one just to take one if they are less impressed.
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Generally speaking, if the Steelers are picking in the 20s and want to trade into the top 10, that won’t come cheap. The Giants were able to get the 10th pick for Dexter Lawrence this year in part because the NFL viewed this past draft as a weak class. In a class as hyped as the 2027 class is, it would likely take a minimum of two first-round picks, and I mean in addition to the Steelers swapping their 2027 first with a potential trade partner. It isn’t likely. A trade up into the 12 to 16 range is more feasible, but with so many quarterback-needy teams, I wouldn’t get my hopes up. The Steelers will either need to earn a high pick the old-fashioned way (losing a lot of games), or we’re going to have to get comfortable with them paying through their nose to get it done.
ForWhomKordellTolls: How raw is Max Iheanachor? He seemed like a major reach at #1 after Omar got caught napping.
Jul 29, 2026; Latrobe, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Max Iheanachor (71) greets fans as he arrives for a practice session at training camp at Saint Vincent College. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
RP: I’ve contended since draft night that the Steelers “missing out” on Makai Lemon was actually a blessing in disguise from the football gods. For one, I don’t think Lemon and his heavy slot usage were the best fit for the receiver room Pittsburgh was building, even if I do think he was a talented player. I’d still argue that taking Iheanachor and Germie Bernard in the second was a better combination of talent than Lemon and whatever tackle would have been available in the second round or later.
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Secondly, I’ve pushed back against the narrative that just because Iheanachor is relatively “new” to football – he began playing in junior college – that he is some sloppy or clueless ball of clay that will take years to get ready. Iheanachor isn’t perfect by any means, but he isn’t as raw as the narratives would have you believe. I also understand Steelers fans would have concerns when hearing the team drafted a “raw” tackle prospect after Broderick Jones failed to live up to expectations. But that’s the thing I take issue with in the narrative. Iheanachor had 12 more starts and played 711 more snaps in college than Jones. Iheanachor quite literally played more college football than Jones did. They aren’t the same prospect.
But you don’t have to just take my word for it. While neither Ryland nor I can attend training camp due to living on the West Coast, BTSC’s Joey Bray has been boots on the ground at training camp this summer, and we’ve invited him to share some insights. He’ll tackle this question as well as the final one of this mailbag. Joey, what have you observed in Latrobe?
JB: I must say, everything Ryan has said about Max Iheanachor as a prospect has proven to be correct. As someone who was a bit skeptical about how quickly he would adapt to the professional game, I have been blown away by what I have seen from Iheanachor at camp so far. The young tackle has otherworldly strength and technique that have allowed him to stand out in practice. I’ve been very impressed with his ability as a run blocker in practice as well. I have quickly come to the conclusion that he is indeed not as “raw” as many think he is.
I think his skills are going to allow him to become a quality starter almost immediately. He was listed behind Dylan Cook as the backup right tackle, for what that is worth. The rookie tackle seemed to be someone who could have made a push to become a starter by week 1 before suffering a shoulder/neck injury last week in practice. Mike McCarthy said that Iheanachor is close to coming back, but won’t play in the team’s preseason opener against the Green Bay Packers. While this minor injury may derail his chances of becoming a starter come Week 1, do not be surprised if Iheanachor overtakes the starting role early in the season and never looks back. There are plenty of reasons to have confidence in Iheanachor.
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Mike Humphreys: Where has Gennings Dunker been lining up? What team (first team, second team, etc) is he getting reps at so far?
Jun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive guard Gennings Dunker (73) participates in drills during Minicamp at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
JB: Dunker and Iheanachor both seemed to get the “raw” and “developmental” tags coming out of the draft. While I believe Iheanachor has begun to break that stigma around him, I can’t say the same for Dunker. It’s important to keep in mind that Dunker is switching positions as he transitions to the NFL. He played tackle in college, but has been lining up exclusively at left guard with the second team in practice.
Dunker is getting far fewer reps with the first team than someone like Iheanachor is, but this shouldn’t be that much of a shock to anyone. The Steelers have two starting guards that they have a lot of confidence in: Mason McCormick and Spencer Anderson. Without an injury to a starter, like what happened in McCormick’s rookie season, it’s tough for me to envision Dunker getting much playing time this year. Even if there is an injury to either side, don’t be surprised to see veteran Brock Hoffman fill in wherever needed. Hoffman has the experience and familiarity with a McCarthy offense from his time in Dallas, and has moved around the line throughout camp.
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The Steelers seem to be taking a methodical route when it comes to Dunker, which is not a bad thing at all. The rookie guard seems to be adjusting well to his position as of late, highlighted by a rep against Nick Herbig during the team’s Saturday night lights practice where he knocked the newly extended edge rusher on his backside.
Join in on Steelers R&R by sharing your takes on this week’s topics. Feel free to pitch future questions in the comment section or on Twitter/X: tag @_Ryland_B or @RyanParishMedia, or email us at [email protected].
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