5 takeaways from Steelers first preseason game against the Buccaneers

The Pittsburgh Steelers came away from Friday night’s first preseason game victorious over the Buccaneers. Here are five things we learned from the game.

Victories in preseason don’t often translate to success in the regular season. Still, there are plenty of things to note from the Steelers Friday night victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Though they were missing the majority of their starters, Pittsburgh had some players who stood out in a big way, and others who struggled mightily.

Here are five takeaways from the Steelers first preseason game of 2019:

Devin Bush is legit

If you watched the game Friday night, then this needs no further explanation. Devin Bush did more than show signs of promise. His performance in his first preseason action is one we won’t soon forget.

Bush was all over the field, and made plays against both the run and the pass. He was clearly the best player on the field when he was out there, and he exceeded expectations in his first action as a rookie. Bush has all-world talent, and it is only a matter of time before he showcases it when it counts.

The Steelers could survive in a pinch

Typically, when your starting quarterback goes down, your team isn’t going to stand a chance. While the same remains true in Pittsburgh if Ben Roethlisberger were to miss the entire 2019 season, the Steelers will be okay in a pinch.

Josh Dobbs has gotten progressively better since his disheartening rookie preseason performance. He and Mason Rudolph both had excellent showings Friday night, and the battle for the number two quarterback spot is not yet finalized. They have given us hope to keep the season alive if Ben misses a few games this year.

Justin Layne isn’t ready

If you were wondering why Justin Layne played so many snaps in the Steelers first preseason game, it’s because he needs them. Layne looked lost at times in Pittsburgh’s secondary. He gave up too much cushion and made weak tackling attempts against the run.

Justin Layne is still very young (21) and has immense upside as an outside NFL cornerback. His combination of length, athleticism, and flexibility give him the traits that most defensive backs long for. However, it’s going to take some time.

Ola Adeniyi could carve a role for himself

Ola Adeniyi didn’t record a sack in Pittsburgh’s first preseason game of 2019, but we saw exactly what we were hoping for.

Though he occasionally took a wide angle to the quarterback, Adeniyi showed the power, bend, and hand usage that he flashed during a dominant rookie preseason performance in 2018. Ola finished the game with 5 tackles, 1 quarterback hit, and a handful of pressures.

Final receiver spot may not be decided yet

It seemed like we had everything figured out. The Steelers are likely going to keep 6 wide receivers on the depth chart. Right now the names topping that list are JuJu Smith-Schuster, Donte Moncrief, James Washington, Diontae Johnson, Eli Rogers, and Ryan Switzer.

However, excellent performances from Tevin Jones and Johnny Holton could throw a wrench into the Steelers decision. Pittsburgh is missing the special teams and deep threat ability of Darrius Heyward-Bey. It’s possible they could go with one of these young receivers over Rogers or Switzer for the final spot.

There were a lot of young Steelers who received ample opportunity to showcase their talent during the Steelers first preseason action. Though a lot of what we saw appeared to be positive, there are others who have a long way to go. We will look for progression in these players as we advance throughout the preseason.