90 In 30: Steelers 2025 Coaching Camp Preview Sequence — Alex Highsmith, Cole Holcomb, Will Howard

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2025 offseason practices concluded in the midst of June and subsequent up is the workforce’s annual coaching camp, which is able to get underway within the latter a part of July at Saint Vincent Faculty in Latrobe. Forward of that, we’ll preview the workforce’s offseason roster three gamers at a time. This Steelers roster preview, which incorporates an outlook for each participant, will probably be executed alphabetically by final title to make it simple to comply with. This sequence figures to exceed 90 gamers because the workforce can carry 91 gamers through the offseason as a result of allowance of 1 worldwide participant designation.

The subsequent three gamers we’ll preview forward of Steelers’ 2025 coaching camp are Alex Highsmith, Cole Holcomb, and Will Howard.

OLB Alex Highsmith: Sadly for Highsmith, his 2024 season included six missed common season video games attributable to accidents. A groin harm sidelined Highsmith for 3 contests through the first half of the common season after which an ankle harm sidelined him for 3 extra contests through the second half. He was, nevertheless, capable of play within the Steelers’ ultimate six common season video games in addition to the workforce’s lone playoff recreation.

In whole, Highsmith registered 45 whole tackles, 9 tackles for loss, six sacks, 13 quarterback hits, two passes defensed, and one pressured fumble within the 11 common season video games that he participated in in 2024. He additionally registered a sack within the lone playoff recreation. When wholesome, Highsmith performed properly as each a run defender and as a move rusher.

The 2024 common season ended with Highsmith solely logging 525 whole defensive snaps and that was his lowest whole quantity performed since his 2020 rookie season.

Outlook: Clearly, the Steelers hope that Highsmith will miss loads fewer video games attributable to accidents in 2025 and thus staying wholesome and on the sector must be his major focus. Ought to he in the end play in each common season recreation in 2025, Highsmith very properly might hit double-digit sacks as soon as once more, which he did as soon as beforehand in 2022.

The Steelers outdoors linebacker depth chart figures to be simply pretty much as good, if not higher than the one they’d final season so hopefully that can lead to Highsmith not having to play greater than 90 p.c of all defensive snaps through the common season. Ought to the Steelers protection get off to quicker begins in most contests in 2025, that might additionally avoid wasting put on and tear on Highsmith as properly.

Whereas Highsmith has primarily been a proper aspect outdoors linebacker all through his NFL profession so far, we might see him play a bit bit extra on the left aspect than regular in 2025 as a part of a concerted effort to maneuver fellow beginning OLB T.J. Watt round a bit greater than common.

In summation, Highsmith has now developed into a really well-rounded participant, and that growth ought to be anticipated to take one other small leap in 2025. Any drop-off in play as both a move rusher or run defender in 2025 in terms of Highsmith could be an enormous disappointment. His lacking a number of video games attributable to accidents as soon as once more in 2025 could be a disappointment as properly. Highsmith and Watt have an extremely good probability to change into the NFL’s greatest edge duo in 2025, and the Steelers want that to occur.

ILB Cole Holcomb: The 2024 season for Holcomb wound up being a whole washout and primarily as a result of he wanted extra time to fully overcome the intense knee harm he sustained through the 2024 season. After beginning coaching camp off on the Energetic/PUP record forward of coaching camp final 12 months, Holcomb was then transitioned to the workforce’s Reserve/PUP on a break up wage forward of Week 1.

Whereas Holcomb did get wholesome sufficient to renew training late final season, and thus had his return window opened, he in the end by no means made it again to the workforce’s lively roster and thus remained on the Reserve/PUP record for your entire season.

Holcomb as soon as once more agreed to regulate his contract this offseason, and that included him agreeing to have his base wage trimmed right down to $2 million from $6 million.

Outlook: Holcomb clearly has but to play in an NFL recreation since he sustained his knee harm through the 2023 season. On the very least, he appears totally recovered from that 2023 harm now, and he appeared to have the ability to take part totally through the workforce’s offseason program.,

The Steelers’ inside linebacker room is a reasonably full one this summer season because it consists of Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Malik Harrison, Mark Robinson, Devin Harper, rookie draft decide Carson Bruener, and Holcomb. At most, the Steelers are prone to preserve 5 inside linebackers so in actuality, and assuming 5 finally ends up being the quantity. Holcomb will battle this summer season for one among two spots as Queen, Wilson and Harrison are all locks barring accidents.

Holcomb will doubtless be requested to be a core particular groups participant this summer season as a part of his try and win a spot on the 53-man roster. He has some NFL particular groups expertise in his resume so that can assist his trigger. Holcomb is a straightforward participant to root for this summer season but it surely’s vital to acknowledge that he’s not a lock to stay round previous the ultimate roster trim down forward of Week 1.

QB Will Howard: With the 185th decide of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers chosen Ohio State QB Will Howard. His choice within the sixth spherical got here after loads of hypothesis that the workforce would tackle the quarterback place throughout this 12 months’s draft in some unspecified time in the future.

After transferring from Kansas State in 2024, Howard led Ohio State to a Nationwide Championship this previous school season. He performed his greatest soccer later within the 2024 season and was wonderful throughout Ohio State’s playoff run. Measuring in at 6042, 236 kilos with 9-inch fingers, Howard profiles as a extra conventional pocket passer on the NFL degree. He does, nevertheless, possess some straight-line velocity and thus ought to be cellular sufficient to suit into the Steelers’ offensive system underneath OC Arthur Smith.

Turning 24 in September, Howard was initially a three-star recruit out of Pennsylvania. He threw 48 touchdowns for Northwestern with 19 dashing scores throughout his three seasons with them. After transferring to Ohio State, Howard developed extra underneath OC Chip Kelly. He accomplished 73 p.c of his 2024 passes for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns with seven dashing scores and led Ohio State to a 14-2 document and in the end a nationwide title.

Throughout his four-year school profession, which spanned 44 begins, Howard threw for 9,796 yards and 83 touchdowns whereas finishing over 63 p.c of his passes.

Outlook: With the Steelers having veteran quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph underneath contract, it’s onerous to think about Howard’s rookie season being something greater than a redshirt one. Clearly, accidents on the quarterback place might alter that in a short time and identical to what occurred in 2004 with then-rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger, who was initially poised to take a seat, watch and be taught all through his first NFL season.

Howard clearly first must safe a 53-man roster spot this summer season and thus beat out fellow quarterback Skylar Thompson. Assuming he accomplishes that activity, from there, he might want to be taught as a lot as he can from Rodgers, Rudolph, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth all through his rookie season in an effort to give himself a fantastic shot at being the workforce’s starter, or at the very least the first backup, in 2026.

The preseason motion that Howard receives could be the one time we get to see him play this coming season. Hopefully, he will get to play at the very least 70 offensive snaps throughout that span of three preseason video games for all of us to have the ability to pore over.

Earlier Posts In This Sequence: