Man, you gotta love it when a rookie just shows up to camp and brings the thunder, right? Max Iheanachor, our first-rounder, absolutely went off today at training camp. What was easily the most physical practice of the season, even without live tackling, became his personal coming-out party. This day gave us some serious insight into how our running game could take shape, and Iheanachor was right at the center of it all.
Rookie Max Iheanachor Is A Brick Wall
Listen, Iheanachor might start the season as a backup, but today he gave us a crystal-clear look at exactly why the team sees a future with him. Talk about making a statement! His best play came during 11-on-11s on a toss play to Kaleb Johnson. Iheanachor absolutely dominated his rep, just clearing out a massive lane for Johnson to pick up almost 20 yards before anyone even got a hand on him. That’s not just a good play, that’s “we see a future with this guy” kinda stuff! And it wasn’t a fluke. The rookie also held his own, and then some, in one-on-one blocking drills against our three best pass rushers: T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig. By all accounts, this was his best camp practice so far, and the dude’s already showing serious promise.
Run Game Rolls and Roman Wilson Shines with Rodgers
The run game was clearly the emphasis today, and you could feel that physicality from the jump. Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren were leading the way with the first team, which is exactly what you want to see. The RB3 spot is still a bit of a mystery, with Kaleb Johnson, Eli Heidenreich, and Lew Nichols all getting pretty even reps. But Kaleb Johnson definitely had the best single run of the day among that group. While there are tough decisions ahead, we should feel confident in what the Dowdle and Warren duo can accomplish this season. Speaking of confident, Roman Wilson continues to impress, consistently running with the first-team offense and making the most of every chance. He beat Jamel Dean on a dig route for a wide-open red zone touchdown from Aaron Rodgers. Then, to cap off practice, Rodgers found Wilson again on a slant route for another touchdown during the two-minute drill. Wilson is quickly becoming one of Rodgers’ favorite targets, and what a connection that’s turning into!
Defense Answers With Big Plays Too
It wasn’t all offense, though. While our running backs and receivers were making noise, our inside linebackers weren’t sitting idle. Payton Wilson and Cole Holcomb made some serious impact plays out there, especially while the offense was trying out all those different run plays. You love to see that kind of energy and response from both sides of the ball.
This kind of intensity, even without live tackling, tells you everything you need to know about the mentality building in Latrobe. We’re seeing guys fight for spots and define their roles. With camp heating up, every practice is a chance to see who steps up next. Keep an eye on these guys; the season is coming fast!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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