(TNS) —The Steelers left Saint Vincent College on Wednesday morning to return to their facility on the South Side for the remainder of their training camp. Camp 2025 will be remembered for its star power. A couple of future Hall of Famers joined the team during the summer and brought a level of excitement and anticipation.

General manager Omar Khan did his best George Steinbrenner impersonation over the offseason from big free agent signings to blockbuster trades to get the Steelers over the hump in the postseason. How it all ends is anyone’s guess, but it promises to be entertaining.

Aaron Rodgers and Jalen Ramsey are the newest Steelers, and they were the two biggest stories of camp. Some questions were answered and others remain unresolved.

Here are five takeaways from my time at Saint Vincent:

1. Jalen’s Ramsey’s impact on the defense

I don’t remember Mike Tomlin ever being so confident in his defense entering a season.

In Latrobe, we only got a glimpse for about a week before injuries and hold-ins set in, but in that short period of time, it was evident there is something different about the defense. There are plenty of reasons to be enthused about this unit.

The linebacker position — inside and outside — is as talented and as deep as it’s been in more than a decade. The rookies on the defensive line look like they can help bolster the run defense. But the No. 1 reason for Tomlin’s optimism is Jalen Ramsey, whose versatility and ability to match up with other teams’ No. 1 receiver is something Tomlin’s defense has been missing in recent years.

“We have the ability to do a variety of things because of his versatility, his ability to man a variety of different athletes, his multi-positional approach to ball,” Tomlin said Tuesday after practice. “He’s just a very, very useful chess piece.”

The Steelers finished last season eighth in scoring defense and 12th in total defense. This could be the best Steelers defense since 2019, when they were third in the league in yards allowed and sixth in scoring.

2. Aaron Rodgers can still sling it

The offense isn’t leaving Saint Vincent a well-oiled machine. It improved after being dominated by the defense early in camp, but Rodgers is still trying to find chemistry with his receivers and tight ends on a consistent basis. Those issues can continue to be worked out over the next three weeks before the start of the regular season.

When those problems are resolved, the offense has potential because Rodgers’ touch and arm strength haven’t left him. Rodgers, at 41, can still make all the throws, but he’s also brought with him intangibles that come with being a Super Bowl champion and a four-time NFL MVP.

“He loves football,” Tomlin said. “He displays it daily. He has a love affair with this game, one that he’s willing to share with others. He’s passionate about it, and I think it’s contagious.”

3. Payton Wilson could be this year’s breakout player

Wilson has been one of the standout players in camp and is inching closer to being named a full-time starter at inside linebacker.

“He’s moving in that direction,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said earlier this week. “I really like what he’s doing. I had the communication with him during the game this past weekend, and he did a great job.”

Wilson was a coverage linebacker in sub-packages as a rookie last season, but the Steelers used this spring and summer to see if he had the chops to be a three-down player, and Wilson has seized the opportunity.

There will be games this season, notably against run-heavy teams like the Ravens, when the Steelers use backups Malik Harrison and Cole Holcomb, but Wilson’s athleticism and versatility makes him an ideal player to pair with Patrick Queen in the middle of the defense.

4. The rookies can play

The Steelers had some bad injury luck with their 2024 rookie class. Three of their draft picks finished the season on injured reserve, including top pick Troy Fautanu. If their 2025 rookie class can avoid the injury bug, it has a chance to make a major impact.

Derrick Harmon, the No. 1 pick out of Oregon, was named a starter in the spring and projects as an immediate upgrade over Larry Ogunjobi. The biggest surprise of camp has been the emergence of fifth-round pick Yahya Black, who already appears to have locked down a spot in the defensive line rotation. At 6-foot-6, 340 pounds, Black is bigger than Harmon and makes his presence felt as a run-stopping force in the middle of the defense. His pass rush skills, in addition to his ability to bat down passes at the line of scrimmage, makes him an option to play in sub-packages, too.

Fourth-round pick Jack Sawyer looks like he will step in and be part of the rotation at outside linebacker, while third-round pick Kaleb Johnson is part of a three-headed running back rotation along with Jaylen Warren and Kenneth Gainwell.

5. Depth at receiver remains a concern

Scotty Miller has been the most consistent receiver in camp, which is great for him and his chances of making the 53-man roster. But it’s not a great development for the receiving corps as a whole.

Calvin Austin III, the team’s second-leading receiver last season, has not practiced for more than a week, and he might not play in the preseason for the second time in three years. Roman Wilson has taken advantage of the increased opportunities, but he’s still learning on the job.

Robert Woods, a 13-year veteran who was signed in May, played deep into the second half against the Jaguars, suggesting he still has work to do to solidify his spot on the roster. Maybe fielding a roster with young receivers is the answer, but for a team in win-now mode, don’t discount the possibility of GM Omar Khan making a move in the next few weeks.