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: QB Mason Rudolph, CB Asante Samuel Jr., and S Darnell Savage.
QB Mason Rudolph: After spending his first four NFL seasons with the Steelers, Rudolph signed with the Tennessee Titans in 2024 as an unrestricted free agent. He went on to start five games for them that season. Last offseason, Rudolph signed back with the Steelers on a two-year deal, and he was effectively the backup behind QB Aaron Rodgers for the entire 2025 season.
Rudolph appeared in five games for the Steelers during the 2025 season, including one start when Rodgers missed that contest due to a wrist injury. For the 2025 regular season, Rudolph completed 38 of his 52 total pass attempts for 310 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He was also sacked twice in the 113 total regular season snaps that he played. Rudolph also relived Rodgers late in the team’s lone playoff game and completed his only pass attempt for 2 yards.
For his NFL career, Rudolph, who was originally selected by the Steelers in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma State, has completed 475 of 738 total pass attempts during regular season action for 4,925 yards with 30 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. He’s also been sacked 35 times for his NFL career. Rudolph has also started 19 regular season games to date.
In addition to his 2025 limited playoff playing time, Rudolph previously started the Steelers’ lone playoff game in 2023. In that playoff loss, Rudolph completed 22 of his 39 pass attempts for 229 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
Outlook: Ahead of this year’s training camp getting underway, it appears as though Rudolph will battle second-year QB Will Howard for the backup quarterback job behind Rodgers.
The Steelers will take four quarterbacks to training camp this year with rookie third round draft pick QB Drew Allar being among those four. Allar, barring an injury, should make the 53-man roster as the team’s third-string quarterback.
Assuming the Steelers ultimately only keep three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster to start the 2026 regular season, the loser of the Rudolph versus Howard for the backup job will likely be traded or cut after the preseason. The team, however, could ultimately decide to keep all four of their quarterbacks on their 53-man roster to start the regular season even if such a choice would be very unorthodox.
With two young and inexperienced quarterbacks on the Steelers this summer, Rudolph, like Rodgers, isn’t likely to play very much during the preseason. Most of the preseason snaps are likely to go to Howard and Allar. Rudolph will still likely start at least one of the Steelers’ three preseason games this summer. Even so, it’s hard to imagine him hitting a 75-snap total over the span of three preseason games.
Should the Steelers feel very comfortable with Howard backing up Rodgers to start the 2026 regular season, Rudolph could be traded to another team for a late round 2027 draft pick. Should, however, Rudolph wind up being kept as Rodgers’ backup to start the season, he would obviously have a chance at more limited playing time in Pittsburgh throughout the year.
CB Asante Samuel Jr.: The Steelers originally signed Samuel to their practice squad in the middle of November, and he ultimately signed to the team’s 53-man roster in early December. Samuel’s delay in signing with a team last season was a result of him needing to recover from his April spinal fusion surgery.
All told, Samuel, who was originally selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Florida State, played in six regular season games for the Steelers in 2025 in addition to the team’s lone playoff contest. He logged 222 total defensive snaps during the regular season and 15 more on special teams.
For the 2025 regular season, Samuel registered 10 total tackles, one interception and one pass defensed. Most of his snaps came with him playing outside cornerback and on both sides of the defense. Pro Football Focus gave Samuel an overall defensive grade of 67.2 for his play during the 2026 regular season. He was charged with one missed tackle and allowing seven receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns when targeted last season, per PFF charting.
For his NFL career to date, Samuel has played in 56 regular season games on his way to registering 186 total tackles, three tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 38 passes defensed, and one forced fumble. He has tallied 3,232 total defensive snaps played in the NFL to date in addition to 281 more on special teams.
Samuel re-signed with the Steelers in March. His new one-year, $4 million contract with the Steelers included $2.785 million of it being fully guaranteed – that was his signing bonus.
Outlook: The fact Pittsburgh quickly re-signed Samuel this offseason, in addition to them giving him so much guaranteed money, means he has a strong chance at making the 53-man roster later this summer as a primary backup cornerback. While Samuel has occasionally played in the slot throughout his NFL career, he’s widely been considered an outside cornerback since he was drafted.
The Steelers signed CB Jamel Dean as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and he’s expected to be the team’s starter opposite CB Joey Porter Jr. in 2026. Assuming that occurs, Samuel will likely be competing to be the Steelers’ primary backup outside cornerback this summer. Rookie CB Daylen Everette, a third-round draft pick this year out of Georgia, is expected to be Samuel’s main competition for that job throughout training camp and the preseason.
While Samuel doesn’t have much special teams experience at this stage of his NFL career, he at least does have some with most of it coming on punt return units as an outside vice player. Assuming he ultimately makes the 53-man roster this year, Samuel’s special team usage will likely be very limited throughout the 2026 regular season.
Overall, Samuel should be great backup cornerback option for the Steelers when it comes to 2026, especially if he can remain fully healthy. His NFL experience should help young cornerbacks like Everette as he fights for a potential starting job down the road.
Barring any injuries to Porter and Dean in 2026, Samuel will likely be lucky to play 200 defensive snaps in 2026, assuming he indeed winds up making the 53-man roster.
S Darnell Savage: After weeks of speculation that Savage would sign with the Steelers this offseason, he finally officially did so in early June. The one-year veteran benefit contract that Savage signed with the Steelers included a $187,500 signing bonus. That’s the only money that is fully guaranteed in his deal.
A former first round draft pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2019 out of Maryland, Savage missed playing for Mike McCarthy by one season. Spending five years in Green Bay, Savage has also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Commanders, and Buffalo Bills and over the last two seasons.
Last season, Savage played in 12 games with just one start on his way to registering 18 total tackles, three passes defensed, and one forced fumble. He played 266 regular season snaps on defense last season and 38 more on special teams. For his NFL career, Savage has tallied 371 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, 10 interceptions, 41 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one sack in 97 regular season games. He has also logged 5,186 total defensive snaps during regular season action to date and 364 more on special teams.
Throughout his NFL career, Savage has been used as a versatile defensive player as he has logged considerable playing time at both safety positions, slot cornerback, outside cornerback, and even some at off-the-ball linebacker.
Outlook: While Savage has never lived up to expectations since being drafted in the first round by Green Bay, his arrival in Pittsburgh could ultimately serve as a very underrated offseason addition. For starters, Savage has played for several current defensive coaches on the Steelers’ staff: Jason Simmons in Green Bay and Washington and Joe Whitt Jr. last year in Washington. He arrives in Pittsburgh as a well-known player.
While the Steelers’ defensive back room is now full of quality players at cornerback and safety, Savage’s position flexibility could ultimately land him on a spot on the initial 53-man roster as a backup. Specifically, Savage has a shot at being a backup to Jalen Ramsey in the defense and mainly at the star position.
Savage figures to have some value to the Steelers as a special teams player in 2026 as well. He’ll certainly need to show that value in that phase of the game throughout training camp and the preseason if he’s going to make the 53-man roster as a backup safety.
The construction of the Steelers’ final 53-man roster later this summer could play a key role in whether Savage is able to survive the cutdown date. Should Savage ultimately not make Pittsburgh’s initial 53-man roster at the conclusion of the preseason, he could wind up starting the 2026 regular season on the team’s practice squad. Regardless of what the outcome winds up being for Savage later this summer, he should receive plenty of playing time during 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
90 In 30: Steelers 2026 Training Camp Preview Series — Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Rodgers, Gabriel Rubio
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