As I wrote about last week, the Smith family is loading up the proverbial Family Truckster and heading out to Steelers’ camp on our now-annual visit to Latrobe. I’m excited to catch my first glimpse of the 2024 team in person and to soak in what has always been a fun and fulfilling experience at Saint Vincent.

Beyond the general atmosphere, though, there are some camp storylines and practice particulars I’ll be honing in on. Here are three of specific interest:

Wide Receiver Rotation

All indications so far suggest Van Jefferson has the “pole position,” to use a Tomlinism, as the #2 receiver. Jefferson has been lining up opposite George Pickens when the Steelers are in their base 12-personnel grouping (one running back, two receivers, two tight ends). When they sub in a slot receiver for one of the big guys, it’s generally been Calvin Austin III.

Reports from over the weekend, however, noted that rookie Roman Wilson, the 3rd Round pick from Michigan, was given plenty of reps in the slot and looked impressive while taking them. Wilson caught a couple of deep balls from Justin Fields in 11-on-11 drills and had a big gain on a catch-and-run on a crossing route. Any reports of “big plays” in non-padded camp practices in July should be taken with a huge grain of salt. But it’s noteworthy that Wilson is already getting reps with the first offense, and encouraging that he’s looked comfortable in that role.

I won’t say I’m rooting for Wilson to beat out Austin III as the team’s starting slot receiver. But I do see him as a more versatile player. Wilson isn’t a large body at 5’10-190 pounds but he’s bigger than the diminutive Austin III (5’8-165). Wilson also earned a reputation as a tough blocker in Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan offense and was often inserted into the box to take on strong safeties and linebackers in the run game. His attitude and style of play gives off a Hines Ward vibe, which seems to fit the identity new coordinator Arthur Smith is seeking for the offense. While Austin III may be the more explosive player and capable of hitting home runs, the scope of Wilson’s game may inevitably make him more useful overall.

One other item to note about the receivers will be who gets the first reps opposite Pickens when Jefferson is not on the field. The Steelers have several candidates, including Quez Watkins, Dez Fitzpatrick and possibly Austin III. It will be interesting to see if anyone is pushing Jefferson there, and if so, who it might be.

What’s Arthur thinking?

The intrigue surrounding what a new offensive coordinator’s system will look like is always significant. I remember the hype around the mysterious Matt Canada when he was elevated to the position in 2022. Canada had won a reputation as a so-called guru of pre-snap motion in his time as a college coordinator, and the hope was he would razzle-dazzle NFL defenses with an array of shifts and motions. That, as we learned in agonizing fashion, was not the case.

Enter Arthur Smith, whose professional resume is a lot longer than Canada’s and whose system is better understood. Smith wants to put big bodies on the field, pound the rock and use the play-action passing game to exploit defenses when they crowd the box. He did it with great success in Tennessee in 2019-2020 and then to a lesser degree in Atlanta the past three seasons.

Early camp reports suggest Smith will remain true to himself in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are lining up in 12-personnel and running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are getting plenty of work. The team is, however, using more 11-personnel than may have been expected, probably because they want to get a read on their receiver room. It may have something to do with Russell Wilson’s absence, too, and a desire to spread the field more for Justin Fields in order to create space so he can use his athleticism.

This is something I intend to chart carefully. How often, and in what situations, are the Steelers using each personnel grouping? What concepts are they favoring from each? Are we seeing much 21-personnel with the use of a traditional fullback? Hopefully, by the time I’m at camp later this week, Wilson will be running the first-team offense so we can get a better read on what that looks like. There is plenty of intrigue about the personnel on offense, and rightfully so. For me, though, how Smith chooses to deploy that personnel, and what his scheme looks like in particular situations, are some of the most interesting questions of training camp.

The corners

The early portions of camp aren’t a great time to get a read on linemen due to the number of non-padded practices and the limited amount of 11-on-11 periods. But it is a good opportunity to look at defensive backs, whose duties in camp practices are pretty similar to what they do during a game.

The cornerback situation in Pittsburgh has a similar vibe to the receiver room. We know the Steelers believe they have a shutdown player in Joey Porter Jr. He’s the George Pickens of the corners. And in Donte Jackson, the veteran they acquired from Carolina in the Diontae Johnson trade, they have a solid if not spectacular number two. Jackson is probably a better player than Van Jefferson at this point in his career, but there are similarities. Beyond Jackson, the picture gets cloudy.

Cam Sutton was signed to man the slot role and provide depth on the outside, but his suspension for domestic violence will keep him off the field for a few months. That means the competition for a slot corner and for backups to Porter and Jackson is wide open.

Two candidates who intrigue me are second-year player Cory Trice and undrafted free agent Beanie Bishop. Trice is big and long and has repeatedly drawn praise for his potential. The question will be how well he’s moving after losing his rookie season to a knee injury, and whether he can get acclimated to the NFL game quickly enough to earn early-season playing time. That latter concern is also true of Bishop, who figures to battle Josiah Scott for the bulk of the slot reps at this point. Bishop was a physical college player whose toughness belied his stature (5’9-185 pounds). Comparisons to Mike Hilton may be a bit premature, but I’m excited to see if Bishop brings a similar vibe.

Look for a complete report on all of my camp findings and conclusions in this space on Friday. And follow me on Twitter @KTSmithFFSN or @CoachsCallSheet for live tweets and updates. Until then, have a great week, and as always Go Steelers!