The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday night for their first preseason game. Here are five position battles to keep a close eye on.
There are position battles every preseason. Players are fighting tooth and nail for a chance to crack the roster or move up in the pecking order. Some of the battles for the Steelers this year are tighter than ever.
There are still a lot of question marks that preseason will help sort out, but here are the five most pressing positional battles to keep an eye on in the Steelers first preseason game against the Buccaneers:
Number two receiver:
Donte Moncrief vs. James Washington
Though Diontae Johnson will be in the mix at some point, Donte Moncrief and James Washington are the front-runners to come away with the number two receiving job to open the season. Moncrief currently has a leg up on Washington, as he was listed higher in the Steelers initial depth chart.
However, a solid preseason opener from Washington could be enough to turn the tides in his favor. These two are very close right now, and this race will go down to the wire. Keep a close eye on the battle here.
Backup quarterback:
Josh Dobbs vs. Mason Rudolph
This battle has been a back and fourth struggle by two young players that show promise. However, it has been Dobbs that has performed the best in recent training camp practices.
Both quarterbacks will be given ample opportunity to prove themselves this preseason. Dobbs made a significant leap in year two last season. We will see if Rudolph can do the same. This game against the Buccaneers could determine who gets the first look next week.
Mack linebacker:
Mark Barron vs. Devin Bush
It’s only a matter of time before Devin Bush takes the starting Mack linebacker job and runs with it, but as for now, things are up in the air. The Steelers listed Barron as the starter on their initial depth chart.
A dominant first preseason game for Bush could change things in a hurry. Devin Bush is one of the best prospects the Steelers have drafted in recent years. He will win the job eventually, but his performance against Tampa Bay could determine how fast that will happen.
Slot receiver:
Ryan Switzer vs. Eli Rogers
Unfortunately for Diontae Spencer, this really is a two-man race. Though it is entirely possible (and perhaps even likely) that the Steelers will hold onto both Switzer and Rogers, they are still battling it out for snaps on the field.
Ryan Switzer was listed ahead of Rogers on Pittsburgh’s first depth chart, but the two are very close at this point in time. A poor showing by Switzer combined with a solid preseason for Rogers could see these two flopping roles to start the season.
Backup free safety:
Marcus Allen vs. Kameron Kelly
This is a major question mark, and quite frankly a huge concern. Sean Davis’ injury leaves a gaping hole at the safety position, and two players with very little NFL experience are the ones who are likely to battle it out.
Though Allen was listed above Kelly on the depth chart, it has been the former AAF safety who has been taking the most first team reps in practice. Kelly was initially thought to be a long-shot to make the team, but it is becoming increasing more likely that he does. A good performance against Tampa Bay could help separate either one of these two safeties.
The result of the game tonight isn’t nearly as important as how these players prove to perform. There are a lot of positional battles going on in Pittsburgh right now. The next four games will determine how that seeding will go.