The Pittsburgh Steelers are preparing for yet another training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA with players reporting on the 24th of July. The first official practice will be July 25th, and will be open to the public, but there are storylines to track which aren’t directly related to on-field performance.

In fact, there are five storylines we should keep tabs on with the players getting back to dorm life once again for the end of July and almost the entire month of August. Here are what we should be tracking for the black-and-gold:

1 – Cam Heyward “Hold In”?

Cam Heyward’s desire for a new contract has been made public this entire offseason, but what will the culmination of those talks be during training camp? This isn’t to suggest Heyward won’t be rewarded with a new deal, but if it takes time will he pull a T.J. Watt and Diontae Johnson? By that I’m referring to how both did a “hold in” strategy where the did everything from an individual standpoint, but sat out of team drills.

For Heyward this wouldn’t be a big adjustment to his usual work load in training camp as a veteran, but it will be interesting to see if he makes a public statement, by his participation, in regards to getting a new contract before the start of the regular season.

2 – Injury Updates

We all can guess Cole Holcomb will start on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List, but will there be any other players who shockingly show up on the PUP List? Players who are dealing with an injury which wasn’t know, or made public? The hope is the team has a clean bill of health when the team steps foot on Chuck Noll Field, but the injury status of players will be, as it always is, a key component of getting camp started.

3 – New Faces, New Places

Of course everyone thinks of the rookies when talking about new faces, and we’ll get to them shortly, but let’s also not forget about the new players signed as free agents. For many of these players they haven’t experienced this type of environment since they were in college, and when you consider a veteran like Russell Wilson, going back to that style of living might be an adjustment.

The Steelers approach to training camp is old school. Fans are at 99% of practices, you are away from your family, and the intensity gets ratcheted up to a fever pitch at specific times. Not all veterans handle this adjustment well, and we’ll see how they do just that in 2024.

4 – Rookies Getting Acclimated

The rookies getting to Saint Vincent is almost a trial by fire. Not only are they greeted by a throng of media with microphones and cameras in their face as they go to check-in, but their rookie duties begin shortly after with players having rookies carry helmets, pads, and whatever else they want, back up the hill to the dorms.

For some, this is just the traditional rookie hazing which is part of being a part of the organization and getting your feet wet. For others, they aren’t too fond of those tasks and might rebuke the system. Have to get acclimated to their new surroundings, and those expectations placed on them both on and off the field.

5 – Any surprises?

There are some instances where surprises exist when players report to camp. Maybe we talk about a player who didn’t report to camp on time. For instance, Cole Holcomb and his wife just welcomed a child, there is a chance he might be a few days late getting to camp. There also might be players positioning themselves for a new deal, and those players might be some we didn’t expect. Often times players and agents have a plan on how to navigate these waters ahead of camp, and sometimes it is a shock when the player executes the plan for the world to see.

In a perfect world there are no surprises, and camp gets off to a great start with all players and coaches fully prepared for the 2024 regular season.

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as training camp gets ready to kick off this Wednesday.