The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2026 offseason practices concluded in the middle of June. Next up is the team’s annual training camp, which will get underway in late July at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe.
Ahead of that, we will preview the team’s offseason roster three players at a time as part of a multi-post series. This Steelers 90-in-30 roster preview, which includes outlooks for every player, is organized alphabetically by last name for an easy follow-along.
This series figures to exceed 90 players this year as the team can carry 91 players during the offseason due to the allowance of one international player designation.
The next three players we will preview ahead of Steelers 2026 training camp are: S Jalen Ramsey, QB Aaron Rodgers, and DT Gabriel Rubio.
S Jalen Ramsey: The Steelers acquired Ramsey from the Miami Dolphins via a trade last summer and Ramsey played in every game for the team. Ramsey ended the 2025 regular season posting 88 total tackles, four tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, three sacks, and one interception. His 88 tackles in 2025 tied his career high for a single season while his three sacks were a new single season high for him.
Throughout the 2025 season, Ramsey played all over the place in the Steelers’ defense. Most of snaps came at free safety or slot cornerback. He did, however, log well over 150 snaps at both outside cornerback and in the box as either a linebacker or strong safety in 2025.
In total, Ramsey logged a career high 1,104 total defensive snaps during the 2025 regular season. He also played 80 snaps on special teams.
Ramsey’s play against the run in 2025 was quite stellar. That has been the case with him throughout his NFL career. He also missed very few tackles throughout the 2025 season. As a coverage player, however, Ramsey wasn’t as good as he’s been for most of his NFL career. That may have been partly due to him playing more at free safety in 2025 and being moved around in the defense extensively.
For whatever it’s worth, Pro Football Focus charged Ramsey with allowing six touchdown receptions during the 2025 regular season. He was also charted by PFF as allowing a 72.6 completion percentage when targeted in 2025.
Outlook: The outlook for Ramsey in 2026 is quite exciting overall and mainly due to the offseason additions in the secondary and the hiring of Patrick Graham as the Steelers’ new defensive coordinator.
The Steelers are expected to once again use Ramsey all over the defense in 2025. That should include him playing the “star” position quite frequently in sub packages. The offseason addition of S Jaquan Brisker via free agency should allow for him, S DeShon Elliott, and Ramsey to all be on the field numerous times throughout the 2026 season as part of the defense running a high percentage of two-high safety coverages.
While Ramsey has never registered more than four interceptions in any one NFL season since entering the league as a first round draft pick in 2016, he certainly could hit such a number in 2026. He could very easily match his three sacks from 2025 this season as well, remaining a quality blitzer off the edge.
Ramsey is set to get $19.5 million in cash in 2026 and so the Steelers will certainly expect him to earn every penny of that. Much like was the case last season, Ramsey should rarely come off the field on defense in 2026, and he should be expected to improve in coverage this season.
How Ramsey ultimately plays in 2026 will go a long way in determining if he is retained for the 2027 season. His current contract with Pittsburgh runs through the 2028 season.
QB Aaron Rodgers: While it took a while last offseason, the Steelers were finally able to get Rodgers signed to a one-year contract long after the New York Jets jettisoned the veteran quarterback in March. Rodgers then went on to play in 16 regular season games for Pittsburgh in 2025 and he helped guide the team to a 10-7 record and AFC North title.
Rodgers, who missed one game in 2025 due to a wrist injury, completed 327 of his 498 total regular season pass attempts for 3,322 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He was also sacked 29 times during the regular season. For his 2025 efforts, Rodgers ended the regular season with an ANY/A stat of 6.3.
In the Steelers’ lone playoff game last season, Rodgers and the rest of the Pittsburgh offense certainly did not play well in the team’s loss. Rodgers was 17 of 33 passing against the Houston Texans in the 2025 Wild Card game for 146 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, which was returned for a touchdown. He was also sacked four times in that playoff contest that he failed to finish, pulled when the score was out of hand.
When it comes to Rodgers’ advanced passing metrics in 2025, they were very underwhelming. For starters, Rodgers’ average completed air yards distance in 2025 was just 3.3 yards. That was the worst in the NFL among qualified quarterbacks. His average intended yards distance of 5.9 in 2025 was also right near the bottom of the league. As part of those ghoulish stats, Rodgers’ average snap to throw time in 2025 was one of the quickest at 2.59-seconds.
The Steelers’ offense registered just 38 explosive passing plays of 20 yards or longer in 2025 with Rodgers at quarterback. On top of that, Rodgers completed just 26 passes thrown 16 or more air yards in 2025 and just 16 thrown 20 or more air yards.
Rodgers decided during the offseason he would play one more NFL season in 2026. He ultimately signed a one-year, $22.5 million contract to return to the Steelers for one more season. That deal also gives Rodgers the ability to earn more money in 2026 as part of numerous per-game incentives related to playoff wins.
Outlook: Rodgers’ 2026 season must be better than his 2025 season if the Steelers hope to finally win a playoff game for the first time since the 2016 season. Part of Rodgers having a better 2026 season will likely need to include him pushing the football down the field more often as the Pittsburgh offense needs more passing explosive plays than the unit registered in 2025.
Reuniting with new Steelers HC Mike McCarthy figures to help the offense to some degree in 2026, but how much is yet to be seen. The additions of WR Michael Pittman Jr. and RB Rico Dowdle to the offense should also help. A somewhat retooled offensive line under the tutelage of coach James Campen, who Rodgers worked with and trusted when the two were with the Green Bay Packers, is yet another reason to think that the Steelers offense will improve in a few key areas in 2026.
Even recognizing the roster improvements, Rodgers will still need to show he can play somewhat similarly to the way he did when he was with the Packers several years ago. That will be a tough task overall given his age and physical limitations.
Rodgers has always been very good when it comes to him protecting the football and that should be expected to continue in 2026. Even so, Rodgers’ ability to register an ANY/A stat anywhere near 7.0 in 2026 is a huge concern.
The Steelers were able to win 10 games in 2025 with Rodgers at quarterback. The team was able to do that while being handicapped by Arthur Smith as the team’s offensive coordinator in addition to that side of the football not being flush with wide receiver talent beyond DK Metcalf. That counts for something as Rodgers heads into his final NFL season.
In summation, a 2026 season for Rodgers that matches the one he had in 2025 might get the Steelers into the playoffs once again, but it’s hard to imagine it resulting in much of a playoff run.
DT Gabriel Rubio: The Steelers selected Rubio in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame. While Rubio’s selection caught a lot of fans of the Steelers off guard, the measurables of the player, along with his college tape, made it easy to understand why he was selected.
At his 2026 college pro day, Rubio measured in at 6051, 321-pounds with 33 5/8-inch arms and 10-inch hands. He ran his pro day 40-yard dash in 5.29-seconds and did 26 reps on the bench in addition to registering a vertical jump of 26-inches to go along with an 8’9″ broad jump. Rubio’s short shuttle time was 4.87-seconds, and his three-cone time was 7.62-seconds.
For his college career at Norte Dame, Rubio played in 39 games on his way to registering 66 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three passes defensed, and one forced fumble. He missed several games during his college career due to injuries. Those included foot and elbow issues.
Rubio’s play against the run at Notre Dame was his biggest strength. His Pro Football Focus run grade over the course of the last four college seasons was never below 71.0 in any one of them.
Rubio arrived in Pittsburgh having already had a link to the organization as his father Rubio’s father Angel Rubio was selected by the Steelers in the seventh round of the 1998 NFL Draft.
Outlook: Despite Rubio being a member of Pittsburgh’s 2026 draft class, he’s certainly not guaranteed a spot on the team’s initial 53-man roster later this summer as he’ll certainly need to earn it. He’ll obviously need to stay healthy throughout training camp and the preseason. His injury history is a concern.
While Rubio showed himself to be a stout and dependable run defender throughout his college career at Notre Dame, his pass rushing left a lot to be desired. He’s not the most agile or athletic coming out of college and was really more of a space eater and immovable force more than anything else. Rubio was a fairly reliable tackler during college so that’s a plus as he heads into his first NFL training camp.
The top of Pittsburgh defensive line depth chart seems already set when it comes to the first five players as Cameron Heyward, Derrick Harmon, Keeanu Benton, Yahya Black and newcomer Sebastian Joseph-Day are all perceived to be 53-man roster locks. Beyond those top five, the Steelers are likely to have two spots on their defensive line depth chart up for grabs this summer with numerous candidates vying for them.
At the very least, Rubio should have a solid shot at starting the 2026 regular season on the Steelers’ practice squad should he ultimately fail to make the 53-man roster out of training camp. Assuming he can stay healthy throughout the summer, Rubio should receive quite a bit of playing time on defense throughout the preseason.
Previous Posts In This Series:
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Drew Allar, Spencer Anderson, Kyler Baugh
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jaheim Bell, Keeanu Benton, Germie Bernard
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Yahya Black, Chris Boswell, Devan Boykin
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jaquan Brisker, Carson Bruener, Cole Burgess
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Sebastian Castro, Dylan Cook, Greg Crippen
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jamin Davis, Joaquin Davis, Jamel Dean
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Rico Dowdle, Jack Driscoll, Gennings Dunker
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Brandin Echols, DeShon Elliott, Daylen Everette
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier, Pat Freiermuth
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — JJ Galbreath, Anthony Goodlow, Derrick Harmon
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Malik Harrison, Ahmari Harvey, Eli Heidenreich
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jack Henderson, Nick Herbig, Cameron Heyward
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Alex Highsmith, Brock Hoffman, Cole Holcomb
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Travis Homer, Will Howard, Max Hurleman
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Max Iheanachor, D’Shawn Jamison, Kevin Jobity Jr.
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Kaleb Johnson, Cameron Johnston, Broderick Jones
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Steven Jones, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Donte Kent
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Christian Kuntz, Logan Lee, Dean Lowry
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Tamon Lynum, Laith Marjan, Ryan McCollum
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Mason McCormick, Lake McRee, DK Metcalf
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Doug Nester, Lew Nichols, Riley Nowakowski
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Esezi Otomewo, A.T. Perry, Michael Pittman Jr.
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Joey Porter Jr., Daryl Porter, Patrick Queen
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