Steelers inside the ropes: Cody White a playmaker in lackluster final practice of camp

After serving as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ No. 6 receiver during the 2021 season, Cody White spent all of 2022 on the practice squad.

But the 24-year-old has put himself firmly in contention to make the 2023 active roster during a training camp at Saint Vincent College in which he has made some plays. As camp wrapped up Thursday, White might have earned the unofficial designation of offensive star of the day.

White made at least four catches during team drills during a workout that did not include pads, ended slightly early and lacked peak intensity as the team prepped to pack up and head back to their South Side headquarters for the remainder of camp.

White’s first catch came early in the first full-field team 11-on-11 drill when he high-pointed the ball thrown by Mitch Trubisky about 30 yards down the right sideline. White leaped up over Chris Wilcox with Jalen Elliott also in the area in coverage.

Later, White made another reception of 30-plus yards in 11-on-11 play, this time jumping over the defense of James Pierre.

The most aesthetically pleasing catch by White would not have counted because his second foot did not land in bounds. But White lunged for a Trubisky pass on a sideline route and displayed good hands in reeling it in. Though he lobbied that the reception should count, among those nearby who declared it incomplete was tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts.

• White is among a group that includes Miles Boykin and Gunner Olszewski as most likely fighting for roster spots behind the top four wide receivers: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson II and Calvin Austin III.

• Perhaps because it was the final day on Chuck Noll Field, maybe because it was the first practice sans pads since Aug. 6, or maybe it was just an “off day” overall, but there was a general lack of crispness Thursday. The competitiveness shown in recent practices was missing, there was little trash talking or celebrating big plays and some drills appeared to be run at less-than-full speed.

• For the first — and, likely, only — time this preseason, the Steelers ran a scout team mimicking plays they expect from Saturday’s opponent, the Buffalo Bills. Coach Mike Tomlin traditionally has used at least one of the Steelers’ preseason games as a dress rehearsal for the regular season.

• Kwon Alexander (deflected off of Darnell Washington’s hands), Jonathan Marshall (a tipped ball at the line of scrimmage), Mark Robinson and Trenton Thompson (both off Mason Rudolph) had interceptions during 11-on-11 drills. However, some were during scout-team play when the offense is instructed to run a play regardless of its effectiveness. Madre Harper should have had an interception of a poorly thrown ball from Rudolph, but Harper let it hit off his hands and it fell into those of receiver Dez Fitzpatrick, who jogged into the end zone.

• A defensive lineman, Marshall’s rare INT came only because Breiden Fehoko batted a Trubisky pass into the air. Instead of celebrating, Fehoko put his head in his hands. Later on, he explained that defensive linemen were instructed not to bat down balls during that drill.

• For only the third practice during this camp, No. 4 quarterback Tanner Morgan took some team reps. One of Morgan’s best throws was to Hakeem Butler cutting across the middle. Butler, who has had issues with his hands this camp, made two consecutive catches in team drills, but he dropped the next two balls thrown his way.

• Pickens beat Levi Wallace for a catch off a pass from Kenny Pickett 25-plus yards down the left sideline during team play.

• Kendrick Green served as the second-team center again. He fired one errant shotgun snap to Rudolph’s right, but Rudolph corralled it. Green did not take any snaps at fullback Thursday.

• The defense (perhaps) pitched a shutout in seven shots. The offense might have tried to claim three scores among the seven snaps during the 2-point conversion simulation, but a Pat Freiermuth touchdown was nullified by a false start, and a Johnson catch in the back of the end zone surely would not have happened in a game because Pickett would have been sacked at least twice (by T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward) if live tackling was allowed. Trubisky scrambled up the middle to the goal line during a snap featuring second-teamers that may or may not have been a sack in “live” play.

• Other big wins for the defense came when they had Pickett and then Trubisky under duress to the point they effectively threw balls away, and when a pass from Trubisky to Austin at the goal line was batted down by Pierre.

• Open practices are concluded for 2023. The Steelers are expected to hold a walkthrough Friday in advance of their lone home preseason game. The Steelers will practice twice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex next week before closing the preseason Aug. 24 at the Atlanta Falcons.