With the Steelers first preseason game upon us, here are six players who will have the spotlight cast on them in this game.
The Steelers are set to face off against the Seahawks on Saturday in the first preseason game of the season. While there is still plenty of opportunity for every player on the roster to make an impact, a positive first day can lead to more opportunities in camp and in later games. With all that said, here are the six Steelers who will have a spotlight cast on them in the first preseason game.
Steelers DL Doug Costin has an opportunity
A recent addition to the Steelers roster from the USFL, Doug Costin hasn’t taken much time to get noticed. While running with the second and third team defense, Costin has flashed some athletic ability and impressive play recognition. He has been swatting passes and getting up the field more often than not.
To say Costin has long odds to make the roster is true, as the defensive line room is deep. There are seven almost locks to make it (this team normally only keeps six) and there are quite a few other candidates that have spent time on the roster. That said, a strong continuation from the start of camp could lead him to the practice squad.
Costin has to flash in this first game though in order to keep his momentum going. The rest of the defensive line is getting healthier, so his opportunities will start to get limited. If he can look as impressive as he has in camp against the Seahawks, he should continue to ride that momentum into a possible practice squad spot.
Steelers Delontae Scott can take advantage of a weak edge room
It is no secret that the Steelers edge depth is some of the weakest on the team. Despite having two good starters, the backups leave a lot to be desired. This has been evident during training camp so far, as no linebacker has made much of an impact so far. The backup that has looked the best so far has, surprisingly, been Delontae Scott.
Scott was originally signed to the practice squad last season after training camp. He did get called up one week for the team and saw limited reps on defense and special teams. Seen as a unique prospect coming out of SMU, Scott possesses a big wingspan and good size for the position. He has yet to put everything together yet, but he has been present in camp.
With this competition so wide open, Scott has a real opportunity to run away with a roster spot if he can continue his preseason work. That starts against Seattle, as he will have the opportunity to get noticed in a game setting. A solid game could give him the fourth spot on the roster. Scott has arguably been the most impressive of a lackluster group and he can continue that momentum during the first preseason game.
Kendrick Green has his shot at redemption with Steelers
It was about as bad of a first year as you could want with Kendrick Green. Thrown into the center role (a position he had some experience in despite being a natural guard) and expected to start, Green’s play varied from below-average to miserable. The Steelers seemed intent to move in a different direction this offseason, although they claim he is in competition for a guard spot.
While expecting Green to suddenly become a good lineman due to a position change is a stretch, there should be some natural progression from his first year to his second year. He hasn’t had a notable camp either way, but if he wants a chance to redeem himself, he needs to show up against the Seahawks. A positive first preseason would likely go a long way in restoring his confidence and the team’s confidence in him.
Considering Green won’t be playing against some of the top defenders on the Seahawks, he should be able to use his natural strength to move people around. If he really struggles, it will be another sign that he isn’t going to pan out. The time is now for him to get back on track and try to show some of the traits that made him a third-round pick.
Robert Spillane can continue the positive notations about him
One of the biggest risers in camp so far, Robert Spillane has been around this defense for quite some time. While he was initially used as only a special teams player, he was forced into defensive play due to injuries at various points in his career. He has held his own, and while not an elite player by any means, he is a serviceable player.
Due to the weakness of the position in front of him, Spillane could be in line for not just a top backup role, but potentially even a starting role. Devin Bush is far from a secure entity, and he has had a continuation to his sluggish season from a year ago. Spillane, meanwhile, has looked sharp, and as a result, he is squarely in the conversation of starting linebacker.
While Spillane has hit his ceiling as a player more than likely, he can still be a serviceable starter in a talented front seven. Add in Myles Jack now likely being the top guy amongst the inside linebacker crew, and Spillane could fill in next to him. He needs to continue his strong play though, and that all starts with his play against the Seahawks.
Mitch Trubisky must look like the starter for Steelers he is set to be
Despite the Steelers having so many different options at quarterback, the clear-cut favorite in the room to start week one is Mitchell Trubisky. While not viewed as the long-term solution, Trubisky was paid to transition this team to their next quarterback. He comes with plenty of flaws, but he also has traits that you can live with at quarterback.
Unfortunately, his inconsistencies have been on display during training camp as opposed to his star power. For every good play he makes, he ends up with an equally bad mistake. With the money already committed to him though, he will still likely start come week one unless he proves to be a complete disaster.
Seeing how he looks in the initial preseason action will be important. While it may not overly impact his standing with the team, seeing him look competent in the first preseason game will go a long way in making the team more comfortable with him this season. On the flip side of things, if Trubisky looks lost, the team may be forced to reconsider some of their options.
Steelers rookies all need to be watched
I know this is a cop-out, but just trying to choose one or two of the rookies to make this list is impossible. There is always a lot of excitement when observing a rookie class in a game for the first time. That said, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the class this season.
Starting off with Kenny Pickett, everyone is wondering how he will look in his first game as a professional. He has had his fair share of struggles in camp, but he has recently begun to string together a few stronger camps. He likely isn’t ready to unseat Trubisky as the week one starter, but a good first game would go a long way in reassuring fans.
The offense and defense both have a slew of intriguing players that should be on display. Calvin Austin has flashed some serious speed in camp while Connor Heyward has been used all over the field. DeMarvin Leal has looked like a man amongst boys at times while Mark Robinson has looked like a far more pro-ready prospect than most expected him to be as a rookie.
And how could I not mention George Pickens on this list? The rookie receiver has caught the attention of almost everyone due to his dominance in camp. Will that translate early on? While I do think people need to be cautious about his expectations early on, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Pickens’s first game-day snaps.
While the first game of the preseason isn’t vital for players, there are plenty of things to be excited about and prospects to watch. The group I’ve compiled above is just a tiny sampling of some of the players I will be closely watching on Saturday, as their overall stock has a lot riding on this game.