10 Players Who Impressed at Steelers Training Camp: Week 3
LATROBE -- For the final time, the Pittsburgh Steelers leave Saint Vincent College to head back to the city. This time, they're returning to the South Side, where they'll top off a final week of practice following their preseason game with the Buffalo Bills, and finish their summer with a trip to Atlanta.
As they leave Latrobe, there's a bit of sadness but plenty of optimism alongside it. The Steelers feel prepared and loaded with plenty of talent on both sides of the ball.
Some stars stood out during the final week of camp, and some bubble players made a last push for a roster spot.
Here's who impressed in Week 3 of training camp.
Broderick Jones, OT
Week 3 was the best week of Broderick Jones' training camp. Getting beat has slowed to a minimum and he looks more comfortable with the group around him. It's been very apparent that he has growth in front of him at the NFL level, but this week gave optimism that the growth will come.
He's still not in line to start, and shouldn't be considered a better option than Dan Moore Jr. to this point. This is the first time you felt he's on the way to making this a real competition, though, which is all everyone was asking.
Breiden Fehoko, DT
With Keeanu Benton sidelined for most of the week, Breiden Fehoko turned his play up to another level. There may not have been a one-on-one rep he didn't win, and his efforts during team drills were noted as Najee Harris failed to produce much of anything during ground-and-pound plays up the middle.
Fehoko and Benton appear to lead a deep group of impressive defensive linemen for the Steelers. It's going to be tough for Pittsburgh to decide who from the group gets cut next week, but it's not going to be Fehoko. He's established himself as an impact player on this defense.
Armon Watts, DT
Armon Watts isn't too far behind him. While Isaiahh Loudermilk has been consistently impressive, Watts caught people's eye this week, slicing through the second-team defensive line as if it was nothing.
He needs to transition that play into consistent first-team reps, but he hasn't gotten as many opportunities as Fehoko to showcase that ability. Still, he's been a player on the rise, and is making a case for himself to be included in the gameplan as well.
How the Steelers are going to make time for all of their DTs is unknown, but it should happen.
Darnell Washington, TE
Darnell Washington finally looks like he's making progress as a pass-catcher. He may not hit the 600 or 700 yards Rob Gronkowski said he will, but he's had a few nice catches during team drills - including one down the seem for 20 yards from Kenny Pickett - and made a great one-handed grab in individual drills.
This was the best week of Washington, and it feels like the rookies are starting to come into their own now that they're situated with the team. How high Washington's ceiling is as a rookie is unknown, and his impressive week catching the football makes that question even harder, because it was a concern he would need more time to develop some hands.
Gunner Olszewski, WR
Gunner Olszewski needs to regain the trust of some of the fanbase, just based off social media's reactions to anything said about him, but he should be doing so in training camp. At this point, he's pretty secure on the 53-man roster, as he's held his own better than Myles Boykin, Cody White or any other wide receiver fighting for a spot.
Olszewski has taken "always open without pads on" to "pretty open consistently" this summer. This past week, that's become even more evident, and he's been nearly impossible to stop.
He and Kenny Pickett have a strong connection, and even when he's going up against starters like Patrick Peterson, he's coming up with the football.
Rodney Williams, TE
"Good play Hot Rod" could be heard on every day of the final week of training camp, as tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts cheered on his 25-year-old veteran.
Williams doesn't have a path to the 53-man roster, but he's earned himself plenty of praise during training camp. He's caught touchdowns on two of the three days of practice, and recording catches in three-straight days.
The Steelers will be lucky to retain Williams this season on the practice squad if he clears waivers. With the performances he's put on in camp and during the preseason opener, though, he's trending up and headed toward an NFL roster.
Jaylen Warren, RB
At this point, there's no hiding that Jaylen Warren has been the most impressive running back at Steelers camp. Some of that is by design, as head coach Mike Tomlin made it known Najee Harris doesn't need many "physical reps" this summer. Still, the second-year runner is making the most of his expanded role with the offense.
Warren has at least one burst through the line of scrimmage per day. He's quicker, faster and noticeably stronger than he was a year ago. He's also gotten praise from the team's meanest inside linebacker, Elandon Roberts, on his pass blocking after a pretty impressive win in backs-on-backers.
"I really do like Jaylen. He keeps good leverage," Roberts told All Steelers. "He was able to stay in front of me, and he got a good finish at the end. I was kind of laughing on the ground."
How much playing time Warren sees once Harris is full-go is unknown. It shouldn't be decreased too drastically, though.
Dez Fitzpatrick, WR
The Steelers have a real competition for their final wide receiver spot, with Cody White, Myles Boykin and Dez Fitzpatrick holding onto an opportunity. If you had to pick a winner today, though, Fitzpatrick might win.
The Louisville product impressed during minicamp but slowed down once he got on the field in Latrobe. He's since ramped back up, and over the last week, has been one of the more consistent options with the second and third team.
He needs to impress during the final two preseason games, but he should be holding onto a slight lead in the competition after this week. He didn't have a bad day, and has done his part in making life difficult for cornerbacks like James Pierre and Luq Barcoo.
Keanu Neal, S
The return of Keanu Neal and Damontae Kazee (who we'll talk about in a second) marked great things for the Steelers defense. The group looks more complete than they have all summer, and the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer needed no time to adjust back into things with the secondary.
"That's what I'm [expletive] talking about 31," could be heard from the sideline as he hit a hole to shut down an outside run during practice.
Neal is all over the field, playing safety, in the box and a little bit of linebacker. He says he's fully healthy and will get an opportunity to work with Kazee and Minkah Fitzpatrick in a live game against the Buffalo Bills.
Damontae Kazee, S
Kazee and Neal don't need time to learn each other's tendencies after playing together for six years in the NFL. What they do need is to click with Fitzpatrick to fine-tune the three-safety sets the defense will break out.
Kazee said he's focused on learning situational football this summer, and feels confident he's ready to contribute when the Steelers call on him.
That has been evident since his return. He's had great angles of approach, is flying to the ball and making plays in coverage. There's been growth from his first season in Pittsburgh to the final week of his first training camp, and that should carry into the games.
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