PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers were dealt a difficult blow to begin training camp. Two of the team’s top defensive backs, Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey, have missed the entirety of camp practices as they recover from injuries.

Ordinarily, that would spell trouble, but for the Steelers it’s been a bit of a blessing in disguise. Without Porter Jr. and Ramsey on the field, it’s provided a battleground for players to rise up and impress the coaching staff.

And there’s a feeling within the organization that this isn’t just a flash in the pan during camp. Instead, there’s a growing confidence that these three young defensive backs will play prominent roles in the secondary when the regular season begins.

Daylen Everette

One of the team’s third-round picks in the recent NFL Draft, the Steelers have put Daylen Everette through the ringer in his first training camp. During the first week of practices, head coach Mike McCarthy and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham threw him to the wolves, forcing him to shadow DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. It was a trial by fire that he emerged from.

And then he had an impressive preseason debut. He was explosive, quick, and looked impressive in pass coverage. He brings even more value in the special teams, where he’s set to be one of the gunners on the punt team opposite Pro Bowl special teams player, Ben Skowronek.

Doneiko Slaughter

With Ramsey on the shelf, the Steelers obviously turned to Brandin Echols as the main guy in the slot. Then, he went down with an injury as well. In stepped second-year player Doneiko Slaughter, who has quickly earned a significant level of trust from the coaching staff. He’s consistently worked with the first-team defense as the nickel corner, and while he hasn’t been perfect, he looks like a valuable young addition to the defense.

His first preseason game displayed that. He took a costly penalty, but then made up for it on the next series with an impressive tackle for loss. He read the play beautifully and exploded toward the wide receiver on a screen pass, blowing up the play and redeeming himself from the earlier mistake.

Injuries might dictate how long he stays around, but the Steelers really like Slaughter and he’s done enough to earn a 53-man roster spot.

Robert Spears-Jennings

Speaking of quickly gaining trust, how impressive has seventh-round safety Robert Spears-Jennings been? He was on the outside of the roster when camp began, but he’s now seemingly locked in as the third safety. The team even brought in another veteran for competition, signing Rayshawn Jenkins, but Spears-Jennings has maintained the edge in reps and first-team snaps.

When Ramsey returns, the rookie will slide back down the depth chart, but that’s fine. The fact remains that the Steelers may have found a diamond in the rough in the final round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

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