Pittsburgh

Steelers

It’s possible Heyward is just letting his thoughts be known while he seeks a reworked deal, but it’d be foolish to think these comments may not foreshadow a potential holdout or hold-in at some point before the season starts. Heyward, 36, is currently the 22nd-highest paid defensive tackle in the league and is coming off his fourth First-Team All-Pro season since 2017. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last week that Heyward and the Steelers “have not made any progress” in talks for a new deal, which has likely led to the star lineman growing increasingly disgruntled as the season approaches. Heyward signed a three-year extension just last offseason, which may further complicate things. It’s safe to assume this won’t be the last we hear from Heyward on the matter.

Johnson got the start with Jaylen Warren absent. His highlight of the day occurred on a second-and-three counter, when he stiff-armed Travis Hunter into the turf as he turned upfield to pick up the first down. It was a good showing for the rookie running back.

We’ll be sure to provide an update on Austin when we get one, but the fourth-year receiver won’t take the field on Saturday when the Steelers face the Jaguars. He’s one of a handful of players who won’t play in the Steelers’ 2025 preseason debut, as Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf, and Jalen Ramsey are all expected to sit out the exhibition. Austin caught 36 passes for 548 yards and four touchdowns last season, which are all career highs, and is expected to serve as the Steelers’ No. 2 wideout this season.

The two sides are discussing the issue privately, and Heyward continues to practice in a limited capacity. Heyward remains a capable player at age 36. Per Schefter, Heyward’s 2024 All-Pro listing made him the first defensive lineman over the age of 35 to earn the honor since Bruce Smith in 1998.

The Steelers also signed QB Logan Woodside. Peat appeared in 15 games last year and made one start at left guard. The former first-round pick spent nearly the first decade of his career in New Orleans. He played primarily at left guard but still logged almost 2,000 snaps at left tackle over the years. Peat will be a versatile backup for a young Pittsburgh line.

Howard broke a bone in his throwing hand during Tuesday’s practice. The Steelers will likely sign another quarterback to fill out preseason snaps at some point in the next week. It’s a minor blow for Howard’s hopes of impressing the Steelers enough to be considered for the full-time job in 2026 after Aaron Rodgers’ one-year deal expires.

According to head coach Mike Tomlin, Howard injured his throwing hand on a center-quarterback exchange in practice. The rookie sixth-round pick is listed as the Steelers’ No. 3 quarterback and is in line for significant preseason snaps. Howard fractured a bone in his hand and is expected to miss three weeks. Skylar Thompson is in line for more opportunities as Howard misses the preseason.

Also notable: Rookie RB Kaleb Johnson is listed as the team’s RB3 behind Warren and Kenneth Gainwell, a Mike Tomlin favorite. Johnson, the 83rd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, had been listed as a co-starter alongside Warren in the spring. He’s struggled mightily in training camp, particularly in pass protection, where Warren has always excelled. The big-bodied Johnson could still take on short yardage and even goal line opportunities in what should be a run-heavy Pittsburgh offense. It looks like Warren has a chance to establish himself as the team’s clear lead back headed into the season. Warren could benefit from Aaron Rodgers’ late-career willingness to check down. Last season, Jets running backs had the league’s fourth highest target share with Rodgers under center.

Kaboly also adds that Freiermuth is “the heartbeat of this offense.” Big, if true. The fifth-year tight end is expected to face additional competition for targets with Jonnu Smith now in town, but Smith’s versatility across multiple formations should allow both he and Freiermuth to see the field in bunches this season. Freiermuth caught a career-high 65 passes last season while also totaling 653 receiving yards — the second-highest mark in his career. While he may not be a weekly high-end producer, it’s worth pointing out that six of Freiermuth’s eight top-12 PPR weeks came in the final nine games of the regular season. He should have plenty of fantasy upside even if his value comes more as a matchup-based streaming option.